Dricus du Plessis is set to showcase his improved wrestling skills as he returns to the octagon on Saturday against former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman at a UFC Fight Night event in Oklahoma City. After suffering a tough loss to Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319, where he was taken down 12 times and dominated for most of the fight, du Plessis is eager to prove that he has addressed the issues that contributed to that defeat.

Du Plessis (23-3) expressed his excitement:

If you think the fans are excited, you have no idea how excited I am to get back in there... It was a style issue. It was a gameplan problem.

The stakes are high for both fighters, as the winner could position themselves for a shot at the middleweight title currently held by Sean Strickland, who recently upset Chimaev. Du Plessis emphasized that performance matters more than just winning:

• "It's all going to come down to the winner and the fashion that you do this."
• He believes that defeating Usman will solidify his status as a top contender.

Despite Usman’s previous success in the welterweight division, du Plessis asserts that he possesses advantages in both size and striking. He stated, "I'm a much bigger guy and in the striking department, there is no doubt in my mind that I'm better than Usman."

As both fighters prepare for what promises to be an explosive matchup, du Plessis remains confident that he can hang with any striker and is ready to prove himself as a formidable opponent in the division.