UFC Fight Night: Usman faces title contention scrutiny ahead of du Plessis bout
The upcoming Saturday card also draws attention to the aftermath of Conor McGregor’s injury-plagued return and the competitive standing of heavyweight prospect Gable Steveson.
Kamaru Usman is set to face current UFC middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis at an upcoming UFC Fight Night on Saturday. The bout has drawn significant attention due to Usman’s age, which is nearly 40, and his 0-1 record in the middleweight division. This record includes only one win since 2022, a victory that occurred outside the middleweight category. Analysts and readers are debating whether a victory for Usman would be sufficient to secure a title shot, given his recent performance history and the presence of other contenders such as Nassourdine Imavov.
Du Plessis, who won the title from Sean Strickland in 2024 and has defended it twice, is preparing for the fight by overhauling his grappling and wrestling game plan. This strategic shift follows his previous loss to Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319 last August, where he was taken down 12 times and absorbed 529 ground strikes. Du Plessis has explicitly cited a "gameplan problem" regarding that defeat and stated that he must deliver a decisive performance to put the world on notice regarding his championship status.
The event occurs in the wake of Conor McGregor’s highly anticipated return, which ended prematurely due to injury. Analysis suggests that a jumping kick missed by Max Holloway forced McGregor to extend mid-air, causing his foot to land too far forward and resulting in a knee injury. The incident has prompted detailed scrutiny, with commentary noting that the build-up was months in the making, yet the actual contest failed to deliver the expected payoff, leaving fans examining every detail of the aftermath.
Additional discussions on the card include Robert Whittaker’s recent performance against Nikita Krylov. Whittaker, aged 35, defeated Krylov, with commentary noting that his physique was criticised by commentators despite him being in-shape and no longer needing to starve himself to make weight. The victory provided proof that Whittaker can handle the size and strength disparity of the light heavyweight division while maintaining speed and skill.
The competitive standing of heavyweight prospect Gable Steveson is also under review. Steveson’s UFC debut was against Elisha Ellison, a 10-to-1 underdog, and he has not yet faced established UFC heavyweights. While he handled the resistance well, analysts argue that more testing is required against opponents with actual UFC wins before his status as a top contender can be fully assessed.
