UFC Fight Night: Du Plessis vs. Usman - Odds, Predictions, Picks

Two top-10 contenders and former UFC champions square off in a riveting middleweight bout this weekend as Dricus Du Plessis meets Kamaru Usman in Oklahoma City. The last time the promotion held an event in the city was in 2017. This time around, the fight card will play a significant role in how the middleweight division shapes up.

• South African fighter Du Plessis is looking to get back in the win column after losing the UFC Middleweight Championship to Khamzat Chimaev, while Usman is looking to build on his win over Joaquin Buckley

• Jared Cannonier and Christian Leroy Duncan meet in the co-main event in an intriguing ranked middleweight bout

Below, you can find the latest odds ahead of UFC Fight Night 281. We’ve previewed each of the fights on the main card and shared our predictions.

UFC Fight Night: Du Plessis vs. Usman - Odds

Odds are provided by FanDuel Sportsbook. Sign up for a FanDuel account and claim your bonus: Bet $5, Get $1,000 in Bet Resets. Check out all the information you need on how to claim this offer in our FanDuel Promo Code review.

If you are in a state where FanDuel is not yet legal, we recommend trying Kalshi, one of the best prediction markets in the US. Sign up using Kalshi promo code WSN to get a $10 bonus after making 100 contracts.

UFC Fight Night: Du Plessis vs. Usman - Picks & Predictions

Dricus Du Plessis vs. Kamaru Usman - Middleweight Division

• Our pick: Dricus Du Plessis by Points (+180) at FanDuel

Jared Cannonier vs. Christian Leroy Duncan - Middleweight Division

• Our pick: Christian Leroy Duncan by KO/TKO (+175) at FanDuel

Chase Hooper vs. Mitch Ramirez - Lightweight Division

• Our pick: Chase Hooper by KO/TKO or Submission (-150) at FanDuel

Tabatha Ricci vs. Fatima Kline - Women’s Strawweight Division

• Our pick: Tabatha Ricci (+320) at FanDuel

Tommy McMillen vs. Alberto Montes - Featherweight Division

• Our pick: Tommy McMillen by KO/TKO (+300) at FanDuel

Dricus Du Plessis vs. Kamaru Usman - Middleweight Division

Former UFC Middleweight Champion Du Plessis lost his belt and ended an 11-fight win streak last August after suffering a loss to Chimaev. It was a one-sided affair that the Russian dominated on the judge’s scorecards. “Stillknocks” will hope to respond against Usman here, and the 32-year-old is the -250 favorite with FanDuel.

Usman is an ex-champ himself, last holding the UFC Welterweight Championship in 2022 before he got knocked out by Leon Edwards. That began a three-fight skid. He lost to Edwards again in the rematch before dropping a majority decision loss to Chimaev on short notice in his middleweight debut. The 39-year-old returned to the Octagon last June following a 19-month break, defeating Buckley by unanimous decision.

Du Plessis is primarily the oddsmakers’ favorite due to his age advantage, with Usman now 39 and heading towards the twilight of his career. However, “The Nigerian Nightmare” will be leaning on his grappling to contain the South African and look for plenty of takedowns. As for Du Plessis, he’ll aim to put pressure on Usman, and he does have size in his favor since he is a career middleweight.

This fight has massive implications on the state of the middleweight division. The winner will present themselves as a serious challenger for current champion Sean Strickland after he defeated Chimaev back in May.

Wager $5 and Get up to $1,000 in Bet Resets at FanDuel

Jared Cannonier vs. Christian Leroy Duncan - Middleweight Division

Inconsistent veteran Cannonier faces Englishman Duncan in the co-main event this weekend in a middleweight bout. “Tha Killa Gorilla” has been with the promotion since 2014, and his UFC record of 11-9 demonstrates just how hit and miss he can be. It’s the streaking Duncan who enters this bout as the -370 favorite with FanDuel.

Entering the Octagon on the back of four consecutive wins, Duncan has the momentum to win this fight. The 30-year-old has started to find some consistency after opening his UFC career with a mixed 3-2 record. Since losing to Gregory Rodrigues almost two years ago, Duncan has two decision and two knockout victories on his resume.

Despite defeating current middleweight champ Strickland in December 2022, Cannonier hasn’t quite been able to reach championship status. He’s lost three of his last four fights and looks to be showing his age after turning 42 back in March. The Texan deservedly lost to Michael Page last August in his most recent fight.

Duncan has the finishing pedigree in his recent bouts to win this one early. He’s faster than his older opponent and has the ability to get the victory, particularly with Cannonier showing signs of slowing down.

Place a $5 Bet and get up to $1,000 in Resets at FanDuel

Chase Hooper vs. Mitch Ramirez - Lightweight Division

Chase Hooper hasn’t been able to establish himself as a ranked lightweight contender yet, despite already having 13 UFC fights under his belt. May 2023 saw him kickstart a run of five consecutive wins in the promotion, but the 26-year-old has been knocked out in his last two outings. That said, he’s the -390 favorite with FanDuel ahead of his matchup with Mitch Ramirez who’s looking for his first win in the UFC.

Ramirez failed to defeat Carlos Prates in Dana White’s Contender Series almost three years ago, but earned a first-round KO victory over Aireon Tavarres to get himself signed with the promotion. However, he’s yet to land a win across either of his first two fights thus far, getting finished by Thiago Moises and Mike Davis.

$5 Bet Gets You up to $1,000 in First-Bet Resets at FanDuel

Tabatha Ricci vs. Fatima Kline - Women’s Strawweight Division

Looking to snap back following a loss to Virna Jandiroba, No. 7 ranked women’s strawweight contender Tabatha Ricci takes on the streaking Fatima Kline. No. 14 ranked Kline is the -460 favorite with FanDuel. Ricci is taking this fight at short notice, replacing Amanda Ribas.

Kline’s impressive 3-0 record in 2025 has quickly announced her as one of the rising stars in the division. That run has seen her enter the rankings, and a win over Ricci will see her quickly advance towards the Top 5. Not only does Kline have the hype, but she also has a significant size advantage.

However, Ricci is a step up in competition for Kline. The Brazilian fighter has some excellent victories in the bank against the likes of Gillian Robertson, Angela Hill, and Ribas. That suggests the odds should be much closer that what’s being offered.

Place a $5 Bet and get up to $1,000 in Resets at FanDuel

Tommy McMillen vs. Alberto Montes - Featherweight Division

The main card opens on Saturday with a featherweight battle between Dana White’s Contender Series victors Tommy McMillen and Alberto Montes. Both fighters won in their promotional debuts, so this will be a fascinating bout to see who can take another step forward in their pro career. McMillen is the -150 favorite with FanDuel.

McMillen secured a first-round knockout win over Manolo Zecchini in his UFC debut back in April, and remains undefeated through his 10-fight career thus far. As for Venezuelan Montes, he’s on a four-fight win streak, and defeated Ricky Turcios via a second-round submission in his opening promotional appearance.

These two fighters have shown great promise so far, and will be eager to continue their momentum to shake up the featherweight division and leave their mark over the next year or so.

Wager $5 and Get up to $1,000 in Bet Resets at FanDuel

How to Watch UFC Fight Night: Du Plessis vs. Usman

• Location: Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, United States

• When: Saturday, July 18

• Time: 8:00 PM ET

• How: Paramount+