Dricus Du Plessis Explains Why He Wanted Kamaru Usman Over Imavov and Claims UFC Had To ‘Convince’ Him

The priority for most fighters, especially after tasting defeat for the first time in the UFC, is simple: get back in the win column by any means necessary. Dricus du Plessis appears more interested in answering questions than silencing critics.

Reflecting on his upcoming return at UFC Oklahoma City, the former middleweight champion explained why he opted to face former welterweight king Kamaru Usman rather than a conventional contender such as Nassourdine Imavov.

Dricus du Plessis Wanted Wrestler, Not Another Striker

After surrendering his middleweight crown to Khamzat Chimaev last August, many expected the South African to take the most straightforward route back into title contention. Nassourdine Imavov, currently one of the division's top contenders, seemed like the logical choice.

Instead, du Plessis gravitated toward a far different challenge in former welterweight king Usman.

To "Stillknocks," this matchup isn't merely about reclaiming lost momentum. It's about proving that the shortcomings exposed during his title defeat have been addressed. He believes beating a decorated wrestler like "The Nigerian Nightmare" would say far more about his evolution as a mixed martial artist than another victory over a predominantly striking-based opponent ever could.

"People say, 'Why don't you fight Imavov?' I don't mind that fight either," du Plessis told Fight Forecast. "I want to fight somebody who gets me to my title again. Kamaru Usman, yes, he is a bit older but now if you look at what Justin Gaethje just did, that throws that argument out the window immediately."

Dricus du Plessis Stands Ground Over Wrestler Preference

Du Plessis also pointed to Usman's credentials as one of the greatest welterweights in UFC history, placing him alongside Georges St-Pierre in the conversation. He noted that the 39-year-old began his professional career at middleweight, owns a victory over Sean Strickland, and pushed Chimaev to a razor-close decision in their 185-pound meeting.

In short, for du Plessis, the matchup is less about rankings and more about optics. "What does it mean for me to go out there and beat another striker?" he asked before adding, "I've done that many times. I've defended my belt against strikers. I've beaten the best which is Strickland at middleweight twice. Why would I fight another striker? People gonna be like, 'We know you can strike, what about the wrestling and grappling?'"

Furthermore, the 31-year-old admitted that his loss to the Chechen only fueled his ambitions to showcase improvements in other areas of his game.

"I want to go out there and prove what I've done," he said. "And go show the problem the middleweights have on their hands now because now I'm a more complete fighter."

du Plessis Alleges UFC Had to Convince Usman to Sign

While Usman had publicly campaigned for a showdown with du Plessis months ago, the bout took longer than many expected to become official. According to the former middleweight champion, there may have been a reason for that delay.

"He didn't want to sign the contract. I know that for a fact," du Plessis claimed during the same conversation. "You know, I spoke to the UFC and they said, 'We finally convinced him to sign'. If you need convincing to sign, that's a problem."

Still, du Plessis stopped short of criticizing Usman for any hesitation; instead, he took a subtle dig at him, saying, "But I can't blame him," he added. "I would also not want to fight me right now."

Whether Usman was genuinely reluctant or simply weighing his options remains unclear. Nevertheless, the South African seems amped up heading into his return following nearly an 11-month layoff.

For du Plessis, a victory over Usman would do more than move him one step closer to reclaiming UFC gold. In his eyes, it would serve as evidence that the fighter who lost to Chimaev is no longer the same athlete preparing to make the walk in Oklahoma City.

If his confidence is justified, the middleweight division may soon discover exactly what he meant when he warned that it now has a bigger problem on its hands.

Dricus du Plessis on Upcoming Fight

"People say, 'Why don’t you fight Imavov?'", he pondered. "I don’t mind that fight either. I want to fight somebody who gets me to my title again. Kamaru Usman, yes, he is a bit older but now if you look at what (Justin) Gaethje just did, that throws that argument out the window immediately. Kamaru Usman is arguably the best welterweight ever, you know alongside with George St. Pierre. He started his career at middleweight, had a win over Strickland, and had that very close fight with Khamzat Chimaev and that's why I wanted this fight." 

DDP made it clear that engaging in combat with a striker is something he didn't have on his radar. 

"What does it mean for me to go out there and beat another striker?," he asked. "I've done that many times. I've defended my belt against strikers. I've beaten the best which is Strickland at middleweight twice. Why would I fight another striker, people are going to be like, 'We know you can strike, what about the wrestling and grappling?'".

Dricus du Plessis has one mission in mind for Oklahoma City.

"I want to go out there and prove what I've done and go show the problem the middleweights have on their hands now because now I'm a more complete fighter," he said. 

"He didn’t want to sign the contract, he continued. "I know that for a fact. You know, I spoke to the UFC and they said, ‘We finally convinced him to sign’. If you need convincing to sign, that’s a problem. But I can’t blame him. I would also not want to fight me right now."