Dricus Du Plessis says his next fight has been signed on his side but the announcement is delayed because his opponent is reluctant to put pen to paper, hinting at a potential bout with Kamaru Usman.
Du Plessis posted cryptically on Instagram on Tuesday.
A little someone agreed to a fight but actually signing the dotted line isn’t that easy when you know you’re just signing for a show purse. Smart — Yes. Scared — Definitely. Sorry people the announcement is taking longer than expected but from my side it’s been signed and sealed for a while.
Du Plessis did not name his opponent. Recent reports have linked him to Usman in a middleweight bout headlining UFC Oklahoma City on July 18. Usman snapped a three-fight losing skid with a decision win over Joaquin Buckley in June 2025.
Du Plessis has not competed since losing the middleweight title to Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319 in August 2025. Prior to that loss he had gone 9-0 in the UFC, including title wins over Sean Strickland and finishes of Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker.