Kamaru Usman recalls sparring with UFC Oklahoma opponent Dricus du Plessis: “He swings hard”

Kamaru Usman has reflected on his time sparring with Dricus du Plessis, who happens to be his next opponent.

Usman and du Plessis are scheduled to clash at UFC Oklahoma on Saturday, but the two once traded leather inside the gym. “The Nigerian Nightmare” doesn’t remember every detail of his sparring sessions with “Stillknocks,” but he does recall the former UFC Middleweight Champion relying on his power.

During a new edition of the “Pound 4 Pound Podcast,” Usman reflected on working with du Plessis during training.

“He’s not the cleanest, but there’s just got to be power,” Usman said. “It’s been a few years, but I sparred him way back in the day. I always knew he hit hard. He swings hard, but now I feel like he’s confident in that power to where if you really watch him when he throws those big shots, both legs aren’t on the ground.”

This will Usman’s first fight since June 2025 when he defeated Joaquin Buckley via unanimous decision. It was his first victory since 2021. That bout was contested at welterweight, but his bout with du Plessis will be held in the 185-pound division.

Usman will be competing at middleweight for the first time since his 2023 fight against Khamzat Chimaev. The former UFC welterweight titleholder was competitive throughout the bout, but “Borz” earned a majority decision victory.

Following his wipeout loss to Chimaev back in Aug. 2025, du Plessis is hoping for a strong return to the Octagon. He could never get anything going in the outing with Chimaev, and he lost the UFC Middleweight Championship in the process. Prior to the defeat, du Plessis had been riding an 11-fight winning streak with two successful title defenses.

Who do you think ends UFC Oklahoma with a win on Saturday? Does Kamaru Usman pull it off, or will Dricus du Plessis get back on track? Share your predictions in the comments below.