UFC Oklahoma City results from UFC Fight Night 281 at Paycom Center on July 18, 2026: Dricus Du Plessis dominated Kamaru Usman over five rounds to win by unanimous decision and immediately called for a middleweight title shot against Sean Strickland. In the co-main event, Jared Cannonier lost to Christian Leroy Duncan — 48 hours after publicly calling for million-dollar UFC contracts.
The business story of the night happened before the main event was over.
Main Event: Dricus Du Plessis def. Kamaru Usman — UD (50-45, 49-46, 49-46) R5 5:00
Dricus Du Plessis defeated Kamaru Usman by unanimous decision — scores of 50-45, 49-46, and 49-46 — to return to the winner’s circle for the first time since losing the UFC middleweight title to Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319 in August 2025.
Du Plessis dominated from the opening bell. His physicality and power overwhelmed Usman, wobbling him multiple times in the first two rounds with clubbing strikes and well-timed knees up the middle. He kept that pressure up for nearly all five rounds, never really allowing Usman to get back into the fight.
“You guys deserve fights like these, not guys lying on top of other guys to get some dumbass decision win. Thank you, Kamaru Usman, for bringing the best out in me. I’m back in the winner’s circle, baby. Let’s get my belt back.”
Du Plessis called for a trilogy with Sean Strickland, noting he holds two wins over the current middleweight champion. Usman disputed the 50-45 scorecard:
“I’m no sorry loser, but I mean 50-45? What were the judges watching?”
Du Plessis improves to 24-3 and positions himself as the leading contender for a Strickland title shot. Usman drops to 21-5 with losses in four of his last five fights. At 39, moving to middleweight has not produced the results he needed.
Co-Main Event: Christian Leroy Duncan def. Jared Cannonier — UD (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) R3 5:00
Christian Leroy Duncan collected the biggest win of his career, defeating Jared Cannonier by unanimous decision to run his winning streak to five. Duncan was the quicker, more effective striker for much of the first two rounds, utilizing his diverse arsenal to hurt Cannonier on multiple occasions. Cannonier had moments in the third but it was not enough.
The result carries extra weight because of what Cannonier said two days earlier. On July 16, he told Full Send MMA that he deserves million-dollar contracts after seven to eight years in the top ten. That fighters are at the “sh*t end of the stick” of this business. He was not wrong. He lost anyway.
Duncan improves to 15-2 with his fifth consecutive victory. At 25, he punched his ticket to a top-10 ranking. Cannonier drops to 18-10. At 42, with losses in two of his last three fights, he faces the real possibility that the UFC will not renew his contract. The argument was correct. The leverage to act on it just got smaller.
Chase Hooper def. Mitch Ramirez — Sub (RNC) R1 2:15
Chase Hooper said he wanted to get back to his grappling roots and delivered exactly that. A straight left hand opened the path to a takedown, Hooper worked to the back, laced up a body triangle, and finished with a rear-naked choke at 2:15 of round one. Hooper improves to 17-5-1. He had missed weight for the fight per MMA Fighting’s weigh-in report but was dominant regardless.
Hooper is the fighter who publicly broke down the real UFC pay deduction math in 2025 — confirming fighters take home roughly 40 cents of every disclosed dollar. His win tonight is a reminder that the fighters speaking most clearly about pay reality are still competing and winning at the highest level.
Fatima Kline def. Tabatha Ricci — UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) R3 5:00
Fatima Kline punched her ticket to the strawweight top 10 with a dominant showing against Tabatha Ricci. Kline showcased her full skill set, landing better strikes throughout while mixing in timely takedowns and solid defense. Ricci hung tough and never wilted but Kline was simply too much at every turn. Kline is now 4-0 since returning to the 115-pound weight class.
Tommy McMillen def. Alberto Montes — TKO (strikes) R3 3:29
Tommy McMillen and Alberto Montes went all gas, no brakes in the main card opener — throwing non-stop and getting the Oklahoma City crowd on its feet. Montes had his moments, sitting McMillen down with short shots inside in round one. But McMillen was the aggressor throughout and his constant pressure and output became overwhelming as the fight progressed, finishing with strikes at 3:29 of round three.
The Cannonier Story: What Happens Now
Jared Cannonier made a public argument for better fighter pay on Wednesday. He lost his fight on Saturday. He is 42 years old with a losing record over his last three fights. The UFC cuts fighters in this position regularly.
If the promotion releases him, the sequence completes itself: say publicly what needed saying, lose the fight anyway, exit the organization with the argument unresolved and the leverage at its lowest.
That is not a failure. It is what the business of MMA looks like for a fighter who competed at the highest level for a decade and made approximately $52,000 to $56,000 net per fight while doing it. Cannonier said the quiet part out loud. The system did not change. The fight did not go his way. He still said it.
The UFC generated $1.406 billion in revenue in 2024. Cannonier competed in the co-main event of a card that Paramount+ broadcast nationally. His disclosed purse for this fight has not been confirmed. Whatever it was, the math suggests he took home roughly 40% of it after deductions. He deserved more. He said so. He lost. That’s the receipt.
What Du Plessis Win Means for the Middleweight Division
The middleweight title picture: Sean Strickland is champion. Du Plessis holds two wins over him and is now 24-3 with a dominant performance over a former welterweight champion who moved up to face him. His case for a Strickland trilogy is the strongest of any contender in the division.
The complication: Khamzat Chimaev beat Du Plessis emphatically at UFC 319. If Chimaev wants the next Strickland title fight, that conversation happens first. Du Plessis has the record and the narrative. Whether he gets the next shot depends on the UFC’s commercial calculus — not just the competitive merit.
Full UFC Oklahoma City Results
| Fight | Winner | Method / Time |
| Du Plessis vs Usman (ME — 5 rds) | Du Plessis | UD (50-45, 49-46, 49-46) R5 5:00 |
| Duncan vs Cannonier (CME) | Duncan | UD (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) R3 5:00 |
| Hooper vs Ramirez | Hooper | Sub (RNC) R1 2:15 |
| Kline vs Ricci | Kline | UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) R3 5:00 |
| McMillen vs Montes | McMillen | TKO (strikes) R3 3:29 |
Source: UFC.com official results, July 18-19, 2026
For the full Cannonier pay story, see our post on what Jared Cannonier said about UFC fighter pay and our complete UFC fighter pay guide.
FAQ
Who won the UFC Oklahoma City main event?
Dricus Du Plessis defeated Kamaru Usman by unanimous decision — scores of 50-45, 49-46, and 49-46 — at UFC Fight Night 281 in Oklahoma City on July 18, 2026. Du Plessis dominated throughout, rocking Usman multiple times and winning all five rounds on two of three scorecards. Du Plessis improves to 24-3 and called for a middleweight title shot against Sean Strickland.
What happened to Jared Cannonier at UFC Oklahoma City?
Cannonier lost to Christian Leroy Duncan by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) in the co-main event, dropping to 18-10. The loss came 48 hours after Cannonier publicly stated he deserves million-dollar UFC contracts after seven to eight years in the top ten. At 42 with losses in two of his last three fights, he faces potential UFC roster cuts.
What was the Cannonier vs Duncan result?
Christian Leroy Duncan defeated Jared Cannonier by unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) to run his winning streak to five and improve to 15-2. Duncan was the more effective striker throughout and earned the biggest win of his career. Cannonier drops to 18-10.
Did Chase Hooper win at UFC Oklahoma City?
Yes. Chase Hooper submitted Mitch Ramirez with a rear-naked choke at 2:15 of round one, improving to 17-5-1. Hooper had missed weight for the fight but was dominant in the Octagon. He is known for publicly breaking down the real deduction math that UFC fighters face on their disclosed purses.
Is Du Plessis next for a Strickland title fight?
Du Plessis called for a trilogy with Sean Strickland after his UFC Oklahoma City win, noting he holds two previous victories over the current champion. The UFC has not confirmed the matchup. Khamzat Chimaev, who beat Du Plessis at UFC 319, may also be in contention for the next title shot, creating a potential queue at middleweight.