Former UFC middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis says he is ready to return to action, but he claims the delay in announcing his next fight is not on his end.
The South African star stirred speculation this week after posting a cryptic message on Instagram, suggesting that a potential opponent has verbally agreed to a fight but has yet to make it official by signing the contract.
“So apparently 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,” Du Plessis wrote.
Rumors have linked Dricus Du Plessis to a middleweight showdown against former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman. The bout is expected to headline UFC Oklahoma City on July 18, although the promotion has yet to officially announce the matchup.
Du Plessis stopped short of naming Usman directly, but he appeared to hint that the former welterweight champion could be responsible for the delay.
“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.”
The comments quickly fueled speculation that negotiations for the rumored fight have hit a snag.
Dricus Du Plessis Waiting for UFC Return
Dricus Du Plessis has not competed since losing the middleweight title to Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 319 last August. Before that setback, he enjoyed a dominant run inside the Octagon, winning his first nine UFC bouts.
During that streak, Du Plessis captured the middleweight title and defended it twice against Sean Strickland. He also secured impressive finishes over former champions Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker.
Despite suffering his first UFC defeat against Chimaev, Du Plessis remains firmly in the title picture and appears eager to return as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, Usman has not publicly responded to the former champion’s comments.
The former welterweight king returned to the win column in June 2025 with a unanimous decision victory over Joaquin Buckley, snapping a three-fight losing streak. A fight against Dricus Du Plessis would mark only the second time Usman has competed at middleweight inside the UFC.
For now, fans continue to wait for official confirmation. But if Du Plessis’ latest comments are any indication, he believes the ball is firmly in his opponent’s court.
