Former UFC Champion Usman Mulls Welterweight Return Following Middleweight Setback

Former UFC Champion Usman Mulls Welterweight Return Following Middleweight Setback

By BSN Sports 

Former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman has questioned the judges' scoring following his unanimous decision defeat to South Africa's Dricus Du Plessis, while admitting that a return to the welterweight division remains a possibility after suffering a second consecutive loss at middleweight, BSNSports.com.ng reports.

Usman (21-5) faced former UFC middleweight champion Du Plessis (24-3) in the main event of UFC Oklahoma City, where the South African controlled much of the contest with effective striking and strong takedown defence.

Although Usman mounted a late rally, it proved insufficient to overturn Du Plessis' early dominance, with the judges awarding the bout unanimously to the South African. David Sutherland and Mike Bell scored the contest 49-46, while Sal D'Amato handed Du Plessis a 50-45 victory.

The Nigerian-American, however, expressed disbelief at the widest scorecard, insisting it did not accurately reflect the fight.

"I am no sore loser, but 50-45? What were the judges watching?" Usman said during his post-fight interview with former UFC champion Daniel Cormier.

"He is a big boy, and I knew he was going to be tough. Early on, I think it was a punch or a thumb—one of those strange punches where you get the thumb in the eye. It made it difficult for me to judge the distance and fully commit to my takedown attempts. But he's a tough dude. Hats off to him."

Usman revealed that he sustained an eye injury early in the contest after what he believed was contact from Du Plessis' thumb, affecting his vision and ability to close the distance. Although the action was briefly halted, officials ruled that the strike was legal after determining Du Plessis' fist was closed at the point of contact, allowing the fight to continue.

The defeat came just months after Usman returned to winning ways with a unanimous decision victory over Joaquin Buckley at welterweight, ending a three-fight losing streak.

Reflecting on his future, the former champion acknowledged that a move back to the 170-pound division remains under consideration following his latest setback at middleweight.

UFC president Dana White declined to speculate on Usman's next move during the post-fight press conference, praising the veteran's performance against a naturally bigger opponent while noting that the former welterweight champion would need time to recover before making a decision on his future.

Usman's loss leaves questions over his long-term plans, with a return to welterweight appearing increasingly likely as he seeks to revive his pursuit of another UFC title.