Former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman has questioned the judges' scorecards following his unanimous decision defeat to Dricus Du Plessis and admitted a return to the welterweight division remains a possibility after suffering his second consecutive loss at middleweight.
Usman (21-5) faced fellow former UFC champion Du Plessis (24-3) in the main event of UFC Oklahoma City, with the South African dictating the contest from the opening bell through superior striking and effective defence against Usman's trademark wrestling.
Although the Nigerian-American mounted a spirited comeback in the closing rounds, it was not enough to deny Du Plessis a comfortable unanimous decision victory.
Judges David Sutherland and Mike Bell each scored the bout 49-46 in favour of Du Plessis, while Sal D'Amato awarded a 50-45 shutout, a verdict Usman said did not reflect the fight.
“I’m no sore loser, but 50-45? What were the judges watching?” Usman said during his post-fight interview with Daniel Cormier.
“He’s a big guy, and I knew he was going to be tough. Early on, I think it was a punch or maybe a thumb to the eye—one of those awkward shots that affected my vision. It made it difficult to judge the distance and fully commit to my takedowns.
“But he’s a tough dude. Hats off to him.”
The defeat leaves Usman with back-to-back losses in the middleweight division and has fuelled speculation that the former welterweight king could make a move back down to the 170-pound weight class as he plots the next chapter of his UFC career.
