Kamaru Usman says a title opportunity should be next if he can deliver a major result in the UFC Oklahoma City main event. The former welterweight champion has made it clear that, in his view, a statement performance would leave little doubt about what should come after.
Usman is set to face recent middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis, a matchup that represents one of the biggest tests of his current run. Because of the opponent and the stakes attached to the headliner, Usman believes an upset would be strong enough to push him directly into a championship fight.
The names he pointed to were Sean Strickland and Islam Makhachev, signaling that he sees a path to UFC gold if he gets past du Plessis. Rather than framing the bout as just another high-profile appearance, Usman is treating it as a defining fight that could reshape his place in the promotion.
For Usman, the Oklahoma City matchup is about more than a single win. It is a chance to prove he still belongs in the title picture and to make the case that his next walk to the cage should come with a belt on the line.
