Dricus du Plessis welcomes blockbuster bout against MMA great Kamaru Usman

While Usman has competed across both divisions, Du Plessis believed the former champion had different plans for the remainder of 2026. 

Despite his initial surprise, the South African is relishing the chance to test himself against one of the greatest in UFC history this weekend.

"I knew he was in limbo after the losses and the performance against Buckley, I was interested to see what he was going to do. I think he was waiting for that welterweight title shot against Islam Makhachev, but there are just too many fighters on long active streaks in that division. For him, the only way to do something great now is to try and get that double champ status. I'm really excited to face a legend like Usman."

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Du Plessis was then asked what he made of comments by Usman that he’d taken the fight because of a big payday, the 32-year-old sounded disappointed. 

"You do you man, and you can say whatever you want to get the money. He is an incredible fighter and a future hall of famer, but to call yourself right now a money-weight fighter just means you've basically made peace with the fact that you will go wherever the money is and you don't really have the goal of being the best in the world anymore."

As he returns to the cage for the first time since losing his middleweight title to Khamzat Chimaev in August last year, Du Plessis said the pursuit of being the best MMA fighter is what keeps him going.

"I have one goal, with a lot of goals in between like becoming a UFC Champion, but every organisation I've ever fought in I've been the champion. That goal has been ticked, but I always have the main goal which always kept me on track and will always motivate me, and that is to be the greatest fighter to ever walk this earth."