UFC: Dona White Insists Not Over Yet for Beaten “Nigerian Nightmare”

Mixed Martial Art UFC CEO, Dana White, has insisted that Kamaru “The Nigerian Nightmare” Usman’s career is not over yet despite losing to South Africa’s Dricus Du Plessis in Oklahoma City early hours of Sunday morning.

It was a tough night at the office for the  former welterweight champion  Usman, who took five rounds of serious damage at the fists and feet of Dricus Du Plessis. 

“The Nigerian Nightmare” was wobbled badly multiple times, but somehow managed to stay upright and conscious through the 25 minute fight. 

At the end of the bout, judges handed out 50–45, 49–46, and 49–46 scores in favour of Du Plessis.

But asked about the chances of Kamaru Usman to pick up the pieces of his failing career, Dona White said that it was left for the Nigerian to decide but does not believe he is finished yet.

“I don’t know,” White said. “Obviously a great fight, fighting a much bigger guy, and he’s got a great chin. He’s still got it. It’s not like, ‘Oh, Usman’s done and he should retire.’ He had a great fight tonight. So I don’t know. He’s got to go home, rest, heal up, and figure out what’s next.”

Yes, Usman had a better performance in the 5th than any other round. But Du Plessis nearly finished the fight early on, just like he nearly finished the fight multiple other times across the bout.

DDP’s domination of Usman was so thorough that it was hard not to wonder whether Usman, who took his gloves off after the fight, was about to announce his retirement. 

Instead, he questioned what fight the judges were watching and said he’d be willing to fight at middleweight again, despite the size difference clearly being a factor in Oklahoma City.

Retirement talk has dogged Usman,largely because he’s been so inactive over the past few years. 

He took nearly two years off after losing a last minute fight to Khamzat Chimaev. He looked great in a June 2025 win over Joaquin Buckley, then disappeared for another year. Now he’s taken a ton of trauma in a middleweight fight that never made much sense to begin with.

If there’s anything to glean from this fight, it’s that Usman’s prospects at middleweight are poor. 

“We wouldn’t be surprised, though, if he returned to 170 and knocked back another young contender. But what does that get him at this point, with so much red on his recent record? Usman may not be done, but his options are dwindling,” observed a fight analyst last night.