Kamaru Usman Considers Retirement After Lopsided Loss to Dricus Du Plessis at UFC Oklahoma City

• Kamaru Usman has opened up about a major career decision after his defeat to Dricus Du Plessis at UFC Oklahoma City
• The former UFC champion admitted recent events have forced him to reassess his future in the sport
• Usman's emotional comments have sparked fresh debate over what comes next for the MMA great

OKLAHOMA CITY — Former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman is weighing up whether to retire from mixed martial arts following a one-sided defeat to Dricus Du Plessis at the Paycom Center in Oklahoma City on 18 July 2026.

Speaking on his Pound-for-Pound podcast after the middleweight bout, Usman said the result has prompted deep reflection about the value of continuing his career. At 39, he acknowledged that conversations with his coaching staff and family are now necessary before any decision can be made.

"Right now, I just have to sit with the coaches, sit with the team, assess everything," Usman said per MMA Fighting.

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"Assess the place where I'm at in my career. Just all in all, see whether it's worth continuing to do this. Whether it's worth continuing to put them through that."

Kamaru Usman says Du Plessis defeat felt different

Kamaru Usman admitted that his loss to Dricus du Plessis stood apart from the setbacks he had suffered earlier in his career because of how it was perceived by those watching.

The former UFC champion explained that after previous defeats, he still believed there had been positives to take away. He pointed to his rematch with Leon Edwards, noting that he had been ahead on the scorecards before being stopped by a head kick late in the fight.

He also referenced his bout against Khamzat Chimaev, which he accepted on just one week's notice.

Usman said the defeat to Du Plessis was different because, from an outsider's perspective, it appeared as though he had taken on a challenge beyond his capabilities.

While he insisted he did not feel that way personally, he acknowledged that this was likely how the performance looked to many viewers.

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He added that, unlike his previous losses, he struggled to find a positive foundation to build on after the Du Plessis fight and admitted he was unhappy with the impression it had created.

A "potentially permanent" decision ahead for Usman

Usman gave no indication of when he intends to reach a conclusion, but acknowledged the weight of what lies ahead. He noted that the difficulty of navigating a career's lowest points is amplified by how high the highs have been, having once reigned as one of the sport's most dominant champions.

"This is just as difficult of a place to be, when we've achieved so much and you've got so much highs in the sport, when you start to feel the lows it's not that great," he said.

"So when you start to feel those things, it just puts you in a really difficult and really tough place to make a tough and potentially permanent decision."

Should Usman choose to retire, he would be remembered as one of the greatest welterweights in UFC history and is considered a certain future inductee into the UFC Hall of Fame.

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Israel Adesanya praises Dricus Du Plessis after UFC Oklahoma City win

Briefly News also reported that Dricus Du Plessis received rare praise from former rival Israel Adesanya following his dominant victory over Kamaru Usman.

Although Adesanya had backed his close friend Usman before the fight, he admitted Du Plessis produced the best performance he has seen from the South African.

Source: Briefly News