UFC Fight Night: Du Plessis vs Usman Picks, Predictions and Odds July 18, 2026

UFC Fight Night Betting Preview

UFC Fight Night picks and predictions come from WagerTalk UFC handicapper Andy Lang for July 18, 2026 with the main event headlined by Dricus Du Plessis vs Kamaru Usman in a middleweight fight. The main card starts up at 8:00pm ET from the Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK.

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Dricus Du Plessis vs Kamaru Usman: UFC Fight Night Main Event

Saturday, July 18	UFC Fight Night Betting Notes (Courtesy of Caesars)
Moneyline:	Dricus Du Plessis -250 vs Kamaru Usman +190
Rounds:	4.5 (Over -128 / Under +100)
Fight Time:	Main Card Starts at 8:00pm ET / 5:00pm PT
Arena:	Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
TV:	Paramount+

UFC Fight Night Undercard Predictions

Christian Leroy Duncan (-257) vs Jared Cannonier

Cannonier is now 42 years old, and it looks like Father Time is finally catching up with him. He’s lost three of his last four fights, and the lone victory came after he was losing badly before his opponent completely gassed, allowing Cannonier to score a late knockout.

Outside of that comeback, Cannonier has struggled to match the pace of younger fighters. His power isn’t what it once was, his output has declined, and he’s become increasingly reliant on clinching opponents against the fence.

Duncan should have answers everywhere. He’s the younger, faster, more explosive athlete, and he’s comfortable fighting in the clinch if that’s where Cannonier wants to go. On the feet, Duncan’s speed and athleticism should create problems all night. With Cannonier another year older, it’s difficult to see where the improvement comes from.

Mitch Ramirez (+285) vs Chase Hooper

This price feels off considering the questions surrounding Hooper. He’s been finished in the first round in each of his last two fights, making his durability a major concern heading into this matchup.

Hooper’s path to victory is obvious—get the fight to the ground and hunt for a submission—but his wrestling hasn’t been nearly as reliable as many assume. Ramirez isn’t a great fighter, but he carries legitimate power early and is dangerous in the opening minutes before his cardio fades.

If Hooper survives the first round, he’ll likely take over with his conditioning and submission game. The problem is surviving that first round. At these odds, the value is on Ramirez landing something big before Hooper settles into the fight.

Fatima Kline (-300) vs Tabatha Ricci

Kline has impressed ever since her UFC debut. Her only loss came against a high-level opponent, and even in defeat she showed she belonged. Since then, she’s rattled off three dominant wins while displaying a complete skill set.

She can strike effectively with both her hands and kicks, but she’s equally dangerous with her wrestling and grappling. Ricci wins rounds with activity and volume, but she’s shown there’s a ceiling against physically stronger opponents.

Ricci was dominated by Virna Jandiroba through clinch work and takedowns, and this feels like a similar stylistic matchup. Kline’s strength, cardio, and well-rounded game should allow her to dictate where the fight takes place.

Alberto Montes (-108) vs Tommy McMillen

Neither fighter stands out as a future contender, but Montes is the more complete mixed martial artist.

McMillen fights with reckless aggression, throwing wild combinations while leaving himself exposed defensively. That approach has worked against lower-level competition, but he hasn’t faced many opponents capable of capitalizing on those openings.

Montes is far more composed. He has cleaner striking, a solid submission game, and if he survives the early storm, the fight should begin swinging heavily in his favor as McMillen slows down.

Dione Barbosa (-350) vs Anna Melisano

Melisano steps in on short notice after Veronica Hardy withdrew, making this an even tougher assignment. Barbosa should have a major physical advantage and is expected to lean on her wrestling throughout the fight.

While she hasn’t always done enough damage once she secures top position, her takedowns and control time have consistently carried rounds.

She made mistakes in her last outing against Gatto, including giving up position and benefiting from a controversial illegal strike, but she still managed to get her hand raised. Against Melisano, Barbosa should be the stronger, better wrestler from start to finish.

Austin Bashi (-100) vs Jose Delgado

Bashi has been away for a while, but he’s still a young prospect with plenty of room to improve. His wrestling is already a legitimate weapon, although his striking defense remains a concern. Delgado has the cleaner stand-up game, but he’s looked tentative in his last two appearances and hasn’t consistently let his hands go.

Bashi fights with much more urgency and should be able to mix in enough takedowns to edge a competitive decision.

Seok Hyun Ko (-200) vs Jean-Paul Lebosnoyani

Ko has looked dominant through his first two UFC appearances by repeatedly taking opponents down and controlling them on the mat.

Interestingly, both fighters own victories over Phil Rowe, but Ko’s performance was far more convincing. Lebosnoyani faded late in his fight, while Ko maintained his wrestling pressure throughout.

Lebosnoyani is the better striker, but Ko has little reason to engage in a kickboxing match. Expect him to wrestle early, rack up control time, and grind out another victory.

RJ Harris (-112) vs Alvin Hines

The pick here is Harris despite the odds listing him as the underdog. Hines received plenty of attention after taking a short-notice UFC fight while working as a full time engineer, but the shine has worn off. His loss to Diniz hasn’t aged particularly well, and he later tested positive for multiple banned substances.

Harris is simply the more polished fighter. He has the size, striking, and clinch game to dictate the action and enters this matchup with momentum after an impressive standing guillotine finish.

Levi Rodrigues (-178) vs Felipe Franco

Neither fighter has been especially impressive, but Rodrigues is the more trustworthy side. Franco fights at a slow pace, has questionable cardio, and his record is inflated by wins over weak competition. He was dominated by wrestling in his UFC debut and hasn’t shown much upside against quality opposition.

Rodrigues is the better striker, throws more volume, and already owns a knockout win over the same opponent Franco lost to on the Contender Series. Despite his own suspension history, he’s the more complete fighter and deserves to be favored.

Alden Coria (-733) vs Stewart Nicoll

Nicoll simply hasn’t been able to make the jump to UFC-level competition. He’s 0-3 inside the Octagon with losses by submission, knockout, and decision, showing he hasn’t found a path to success against this caliber of opponent.

Coria has won his first two UFC fights and appears to be improving each time out. He owns a significant reach advantage, uses his jab effectively, and is capable of controlling opponents both in the clinch and on the mat.

Coria holds the edge in virtually every area of the fight and should remain unbeaten in the UFC, with a knockout a real possibility.

UFC Fight Night Main Event: Dricus Du Plessis -250 vs Kamaru Usman

Usman pulled off a huge upset in his last fight by leaning heavily on his wrestling, but that matchup was tailor-made for him. Joaquin Buckley has a glaring weakness when it comes to takedown defense, and Usman simply exploited it with basic wrestling. Before that win, Usman had lost three straight fights, and there are still legitimate concerns about whether his knees can hold up against elite competition.

Both fighters have losses to Khamzat Chimaev, but those performances don’t carry much weight here because Chimaev’s wrestling is on another level. What stood out in Du Plessis’ last fight was his improved cardio, as he battled through five hard rounds and answered one of the biggest questions surrounding his game.

If this fight stays standing, Du Plessis has a clear advantage. Usman’s striking looked almost nonexistent against Buckley, and if he can’t consistently land takedowns, he’ll struggle to keep pace with Du Plessis’ pressure and volume. Expect Du Plessis to stuff enough wrestling attempts, keep the fight on the feet, and earn another impressive victory.

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