Sean Strickland’s UFC Rival Dricus du Plessis Extends Win Streak Over Him Twice

Sean Strickland just saw Dricus du Plessis extend a personal winning streak over him to two victories after the South African middleweight dominated Kamaru Usman at UFC Oklahoma on 18 July 2026.

What happened in Oklahoma?

Dricus du Plessis outpointed Kamaru Usman over five rounds in the middleweight main event at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City. The win marked du Plessis’s fourth straight UFC victory and pushed his career record to 24-5. The card aired live on Paramount+ and delivered a string of highlight finishes across the prelims and main card.

Why it matters for Sean Strickland

Strickland now sits at 28-6 overall after dropping two decisions to du Plessis in 2024 and 2025. The losses are the only times Strickland has been finished in his last 12 UFC fights, and they’re the only two losses in his past 14 bouts. Du Plessis joins Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker among the welterweight-turned-middleweight’s career victims.

Who else won big in Oklahoma?

Tommy McMillen pocketed a $100,000 Performance of the Night bonus for a brutal second-round TKO over Albert Montes. Felipe Franco earned his first UFC victory and a $100,000 bonus with a second-round stoppage of Levi Rodrigues Jr. RJ Harris and Dione Barbosa each took home $25,000 for finishes on the prelims.

What comes next for Strickland?

Strickland hasn’t fought since his split-decision loss to du Plessis in April 2025. The 35-year-old has notched wins over Nate Diaz, Abusupiyan Magomedov, and Paulo Costa since 2023, but the du Plessis setback looms largest. His next move could shape his push for another title shot.