Former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman has set his sights on a potential blockbuster matchup against current middleweight titleholder Dricus Du Plessis, with plans for the bout to take place on the UFC’s inaugural Africa card.
The Nigerian-born man revealed his ambitions during a recent interview, addressing a rivalry that intensified after Du Plessis’s controversial comments about being the “first real African champion” – remarks that Usman and fellow African-born champion Israel Adesanya criticized as displaying a “colonial mindset.”
“After getting that belt, they’ve asked and waited for years and years for me to go up and get that middleweight strap,”
Usman told TMZ.
“I will relinquish that. If Dricus Du Plessis is still the champion, all African card, Africa versus Africa, first card in Africa.”
The potential matchup would pit Nigeria against South Africa, tapping into what Usman describes as
“a rivalry that’s been built forever”
between the two nations in sporting competitions.
“South Africa versus Nigeria. It’s a sports rivalry,”
Usman explained.
“I think that’s another blockbuster. I think those are two mega events that you’re going to remember for generations.”
The clash would carry significant cultural weight following the tension created when Du Plessis suggested he was more authentically African than previous champions who trained outside the continent. This statement drew sharp criticism from Usman, Adesanya, and former heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou – all African-born martial artists who captured UFC gold before Du Plessis.
During a conversation on Adesanya’s channel, Usman questioned Du Plessis’s perspective:
“When you come in and there are three African kings already. Why is your mentality not ‘Man, I want to be the 4th African champion’?”
Despite the disagreement, both Usman and Adesanya have maintained that their criticism isn’t personal.
“He’s a great guy, as far as all the run-ins that I’ve had with him. He’s cool,”
Usman noted.
The UFC has yet to host an event in Africa despite the continent producing multiple champions. However, UFC executive David Shaw has hinted at a potential 2025 event, though logistical challenges remain.
Usman, who believes in the power of
“manifestation,”
expressed optimism about the timeline for these plans coming together.
“If things start to kind of fall in line, I think we’re going to see a pretty interesting next 18 months,”
he concluded.
