Du Plessis accuses unnamed foe of stalling next fight after signing contract weeks ago

Dricus du Plessis has gone public with his frustration over a stalled fight announcement, claiming he signed his next contract weeks ago while pointing the finger at his opponent for holding up the deal.

The former UFC middleweight champion took to social media to air his grievance, stopping just short of naming his opponent directly. “So apparently a little someone agreed to a fight but actually signing the dotted line isn’t that easy when you know you’re just signing for a show purse,” du Plessis wrote. “Smart — Yes. Scared — Definitely. Sorry people the announcement is taking longer than expected but from my side it’s been signed and sealed for a while.”

The jab at a “show purse” carries a pointed implication: du Plessis is suggesting his opponent knows he is unlikely to earn a win bonus, and is therefore reluctant to commit on paper.

Du Plessis (23-3) held the middleweight title after defeating Sean Strickland in 2024, going on to defend it against Israel Adesanya and then Strickland in a rematch. His reign ended last August when Khamzat Chimaev dethroned him, and the South African has not competed since.

The most likely candidate for the unnamed opponent is Kamaru Usman (21-4), who fits the description of a “fellow former champ” in the division. Usman snapped a three-fight losing streak with a victory over Joaquin Buckley last June — a win that also ended a 20-month absence from the octagon.

No official bout announcement has been made by the UFC.