Matches to make after UFC Oklahoma City

The Ultimate Fighting Championship returned to Oklahoma City for the first time in nine years, and the Paycom Center got its money's worth. The UFC Oklahoma City headliner saw former divisional kingpin Dricus Du Plessis clash with longtime 170-pound titleholder Kamaru Usman at middleweight. In the co-main event, the rising Christian Leroy Duncan and battle-tested Jared Cannonier met in an 185-pound clash of eras. The card, also known as UFC Fight Night 281, delivered five finishes across 12 bouts, a mix of slick submissions and vicious knockouts. Here are the matches to make for the top five UFC Oklahoma City winners.What’s next for Dricus Du Plessis? A shot at the UFC middleweight championship. Following his dominant showing in the main event, Du Plessis (24-3, 10-1 UFC) took a unanimous decision (50-45, 49-46, 49-46) over Usman, who returned after a 13-month hiatus. “Stillknocks” leaned on his awkward but effective style, though “The Nigerian Nightmare” refused to fold despite absorbing some punishment. The win put Du Plessis back on track after his title loss to Khamzat Chimaev, who has since dropped the championship to Sean Strickland. That twist made the 185-pound title picture intriguing as Du Plessis already owns two wins over the current champ. Now 12-1 over his last 13 cage appearances, Du Plessis has a strong case for the next shot.You Spin My Head Right Round, Right Round Thanks to his unpredictable attacks, Duncan overcame Cannonier in the co-feature. Former Cage Warriors titleholder Duncan (15-2, 8-2 UFC) leaned on spinning elbows and kicks that troubled “The Killa Gorilla,” even if the display wasn't to every fan's liking. The up-and-coming 185-pounder took a unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) to extend his winning streak to five. Brendan Allen looms as a logical next step: both are piling up victories and chasing a title shot, but neither is quite there yet. With the top of the division settled for now, a bout between Duncan and “All In” would help sort out who climbs next. — UFC on Paramount+ (@UFConParamount) July 19, 2026 Keeping the Dream Alive Chase Hooper (17-5-1, 9-5 UFC) walked into UFC Oklahoma City on a two-bout losing skid, but the 26-year-old veteran snapped it in style, handling fellow Dana White’s Contender Series alum Mitch Ramirez with ease. Hooper moved the fight to the ground early and took his opponent’s back before effortlessly sinking a rear-naked choke. “The Dream” missed weight for the first time as a pro, yet looked sharp once the cage closed, forcing Ramirez to tap at the 2:15 mark of Round 1. A matchup with Matheus Camilo, fresh off a win at UFC Baku, could make sense in the future. Both men are versatile enough to make it fun.It’s not Shark Week Yet, Baby In the only women's strawweight tilt on the card, Fatima Kline (10-1, 4-1 UFC) defeated Tabatha Ricci thanks to a mix of well-timed takedowns, ground control and crisp striking en route to a unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27). Kline proved too much to handle for “Baby Shark,” setting the pace throughout and even landing an eye-catching suplex before the final bell. If “The Archangel” wants to climb the 115-pound ladder, Lupita Godinez looks like a fitting test. “Goody” is coming off a loss to Tatiana Suarez, but she's a reliable gatekeeper who owns a win over Ricci herself.Tommy McMillen Pushed It to the Limit In an entertaining 145-pound clash that opened the main card, McMillen (11-0, 2-0 UFC) imposed his will on fellow DWCS graduate Alberto Montes, picking up his second promotional win. “Gun” applied relentless pressure behind a varied arsenal before stopping Montes with punches at 3:29 of Round 3. The Arizona native asked for a fight in his home state during his post-fight interview with Daniel Cormier. Few names fit better than Marwan Rahiki. The two prospects own a combined 19 finishes, 13 by knockout, which is why this one has Fight of the Night written all over it.