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Dana White reacts as Dricus du Plessis earns unanimous decision over Kamaru Usman in UFC Oklahoma City main event
The Apex Times

THE APEX TIMES

Sports/The Apex Times/Jul 19, 4:21 AM EDT

Dana White reacts as Dricus du Plessis earns unanimous decision over Kamaru Usman in UFC Oklahoma City main event

The UFC president praised Dricus du Plessis’s performance after the middleweight contender out-struck Kamaru Usman over 25 minutes, taking a unanimous decision with scorecards of 50-45, 49-46, and 49-46.

UFC president Dana White shared his reaction after Dricus du Plessis defeated Kamaru Usman in the main event of UFC Oklahoma City. The matchup played out as a striking-driven contest, and du Plessis was described as the more effective standup fighter across the full length of the fight, which lasted 25 minutes.

The result was delivered as a unanimous decision, with judges scoring it 50-45, 49-46, and 49-46. Those totals reflect a clear edge over the course of the bout rather than a late surge, and they positioned du Plessis as the winner on every card.

According to the report, the key dividing line was striking efficiency. The account emphasized that du Plessis consistently landed and controlled the effectiveness of exchanges, particularly enough to separate rounds on the scorecards even against Usman, who entered the fight as an established name built on wrestling fundamentals and relentless pressure.

White’s public reaction matters because it indicates how UFC leadership is framing the outcome. In the UFC’s ecosystem, a decision win like this can function as a credibility marker in the title picture, especially when the opponent is Kamaru Usman and the fight is portrayed as being decided by skill at range rather than a single tactical moment.

For fans, the scorecards add a straightforward layer of interpretation: a 50-45 at least implies a dominant run in one version of the scoring, while the 49-46 cards suggest multiple rounds were contested but ultimately tilted in du Plessis’s favor. The split pattern is typical of fights where one fighter has clear stretches of control while still allowing the other to steal a round.

What to watch next is how the UFC translates this kind of unanimous, striking-forward decision into matchmaking. If du Plessis is being viewed as the more effective striker over a full main-event distance, the natural follow-up in future events is a step toward the center of the middleweight title conversation, or a high-leverage fight against another top contender.

Because this story centers on White’s reaction and a brief fight recap, specific details about each round’s turning points or any fight-ending sequence are not fully established in the available material. Further confirmation from the event’s official bout report and judges’ round-by-round scoring would clarify exactly how the swing rounds were awarded.

Why It Matters

  • A unanimous decision over Kamaru Usman carries meaningful weight in the middleweight title conversation, particularly when the fight is framed as a striking advantage.
  • The reported scorecards suggest du Plessis controlled enough rounds to convince judges across multiple scoring interpretations.
  • White’s reaction indicates UFC leadership is likely positioning the winner in a priority lane for subsequent high-stakes matchups.
  • If the fight is evaluated as a standup-based win, it can shape how matchmakers assess styles and threat levels for future opponents.

Sources

Key Facts

  • Dricus du Plessis defeated Kamaru Usman in the main event of UFC Oklahoma City.
  • The fight concluded via unanimous decision after 25 minutes.
  • Official scorecards reported were 50-45, 49-46, and 49-46.
  • The recap characterized du Plessis as the more effective striker throughout the bout.
  • UFC president Dana White publicly reacted to the result.