{"id":368425,"date":"2026-07-18T21:59:38","date_gmt":"2026-07-18T16:29:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/?p=368425"},"modified":"2026-07-18T21:59:38","modified_gmt":"2026-07-18T16:29:38","slug":"islam-makhachev-shares-prediction-for-kamaru-usmans-ufc-oklahoma-city-clash","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ebiztoday.news\/index.php\/2026\/07\/18\/islam-makhachev-shares-prediction-for-kamaru-usmans-ufc-oklahoma-city-clash\/","title":{"rendered":"Islam Makhachev shares prediction for Kamaru Usman’s UFC Oklahoma City clash"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Islam Makhachev thinks Kamaru Usman\u2019s bad knees are going to affect him in his UFC Oklahoma City fight.<\/strong><\/p>\n

This Saturday evening, Kamaru Usman returns to motion for the primary time since June 2025, when he takes on Dricus Du Plessis within the UFC Oklahoma City fundamental event.<\/p>\n

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Ahead of his fight against the previous middleweight champion, Usman has attempted to quash worries concerning the big size difference in what will probably be just his second middleweight fight.<\/p>\n

Nevertheless, it isn\u2019t the dimensions difference that current welterweight champion Islam Makhachev is anxious about for \u2018The Nigerian Nightmare\u2019.<\/p>\n

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Who wins when Dricus du Plessis and Kamaru Usman fight? \ud83d\udc4a<\/h3>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
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Dricus du Plessis vs. Kamaru Usman poster. Credit: Jeff Bottari\/ Zuffa LLC <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/section>\n

Makhachev predicts Du Plessis win as he explains worry for Usman\u2019s knees<\/h2>\n

The 39-year-old has never officially revealed that he’ll now not fight at welterweight after campaigning for a clash against Makhachev earlier this 12 months.<\/p>\n

Despite that, the currently 170lb champion believes it’s a \u2018smart move\u2019 for Usman to have moved as much as 185lbs due to his history with current champion, Sean Strickland.<\/p>\n

\u201cKamaru Usman made a wise move, I used to be wondering why he moved up but when he beats Du Plessis he\u2019ll grow to be the following title contender because he already has a win over Sean Strickland, that\u2019s why he decided to take the chance,\u201d Makhachev told Murad Machaev<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Nevertheless, despite pondering Usman made the right decision by moving up in weight, Makhachev doesn\u2019t expect the previous champion to go away Oklahoma City with the win, predicting a win for \u2018Stillknocks\u2019.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s going to be a troublesome fight. He\u2019ll probably attempt to wrestle\u2026 To be honest, I feel Du Plessis wins. Usman\u2019s knees are bad, he can\u2019t wrestle consistently,\u201d he continued.<\/p>\n

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Photo by Chris Unger\/Zuffa LLC<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Usman\u2019s knees have been a subject of conversation for several years now, and Joe Rogan even once claimed that Usman has to walk on grass as he struggles to walk on concrete paving.<\/p>\n

Pairing that together with his recent inactivity in the game, \u2018The Nigerian Nightmare\u2019 has a troublesome uphill battle ahead of him in Oklahoma City.<\/p>\n

But when he’s capable of pull off the upset, Usman could find himself being quickly fast-tracked to a middleweight title shot as he already has a win over Strickland back in 2017.<\/p>\n

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