Kamaru Usman Refuses to Retire After Dricus Du Plessis Loss: ‘I’m Not Here to Take Lumps’
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Kamaru Usman says he is not ready to retire but will only continue fighting for meaningful UFC opportunities.
Kamaru Usman is not ready to announce his retirement, but the former UFC welterweight champion has no interest in continuing his career without a meaningful reason to compete.
Usman addressed his future following a difficult unanimous-decision loss to Dricus Du Plessis in the main event of UFC Oklahoma City on Saturday, July 18. Du Plessis controlled much of the five-round middleweight fight and earned scorecards of 50-45 and 49-46 twice at Paycom Center. The result moved Du Plessis to 24-3 while dropping Usman to 21-5.
The defeat immediately raised questions about what remains for Usman, who is now 39 years old and has already completed one of the most successful championship runs in UFC welterweight history.
Usman, however, did not sound like a fighter prepared to walk away.
“I would like to be active,” Usman told reporters after the fight. “But I’m not one of these guys that’s just going to stick around here just for a fight, like I can’t do anything else.”
The former champion explained that every appearance represents more than his own career. He enters the Octagon carrying the work of his coaches, training partners, team and family—and he does not intend to continue unless he can represent them properly.
“I’m not one of these guys that’s just going to stick around just to come in here and fight and take lumps,” Usman said. “If the opportunity is there and it presents itself, I would love to get in here regularly, but we’ve got to heal up some things and really do some work with the coaches.”
Usman Says Eye Injury Affected His Performance
Usman struggled to find his rhythm against the larger and longer Du Plessis, who repeatedly connected with combinations, knees and high kicks.
According to Usman, an unusual strike near his eye early in the fight blurred his vision and made Du Plessis’ attacks more difficult to read. He described the shot as a “thumb punch,” although he repeatedly refused to present the incident as an excuse for the loss.
“When you start seeing two of the big boys, and he’s got weird, rangy shots, it’s a little delayed trying to get out of the way of those shots,” Usman explained. “But no excuses. It’s tough to be on this side. I’m not used to being on this side, so it kind of sucks.”
Du Plessis built a considerable lead during the opening rounds by controlling the distance and punishing Usman whenever he attempted to close the gap. Usman remained competitive and mounted his strongest offensive push late in the fifth round, but it was not enough to overcome Du Plessis’ earlier work.
Usman acknowledged that his timing and accuracy were not where they needed to be.
“I just didn’t execute,” he said. “I knew kind of everything he was going to be doing. Nothing really surprised me.”
Welterweight and Middleweight Both Remain Options
Usman also refused to commit to a weight class for his next appearance.
The former 170-pound champion said he can still make the welterweight limit, despite the difficult weight cut. He is also willing to remain at middleweight if the UFC presents the right opportunity.
“It doesn’t matter. I can make both,” Usman said. “Whether the opportunities are there, I’m going to go there. If the opportunity is up here, I’m going to stay here.”
The loss to Du Plessis leaves Usman 0-2 at middleweight. His other defeat in the division came against Khamzat Chimaev after Usman accepted the fight on short notice in October 2023. Before moving back to 185 pounds to face Du Plessis, Usman had returned to the win column at welterweight against Joaquin Buckley.
That history helps explain why Usman remains unwilling to close the door on another unexpected opportunity.
He referenced his previous willingness to accept major fights on short notice and pointed to former champion Michael Bisping as an example of how quickly a fighter’s circumstances can change. Bisping accepted a title fight against Luke Rockhold on short notice in 2016 and produced one of the UFC’s most memorable championship upsets.
For Usman, the message was clear: his immediate title hopes may have suffered a major setback, but meaningful opportunities can arrive without warning.
Dana White Does Not Believe Usman Should Retire
UFC CEO Dana White also pushed back against the idea that the former champion should immediately leave the sport.
White praised Usman for remaining competitive against a significantly larger opponent and said the performance did not resemble the kind of fight that typically convinces him a veteran should retire.
“It’s not like, ‘Usman’s done and he should retire,’” White said. “He had a great fight tonight.”
White added that Usman should return home, recover and decide what direction makes the most sense for the next stage of his career.
That decision may ultimately carry more weight than any specific matchup.
Usman has already defended the UFC welterweight championship five times and defeated many of the defining contenders of his generation. He no longer needs to accept fights simply to prove he belongs inside the Octagon.
His post-fight remarks did not sound like a retirement announcement. They sounded more like a warning that the next opportunity must be worth the physical cost.
Usman may fight again at welterweight. He may remain at middleweight. He may wait until a high-profile opponent becomes available.
What he will not do, according to his own words, is remain in the UFC simply to take punishment while his name is used to build someone else’s career.
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