The co-main event at UFC Oklahoma City is a genuine rankings collision: Jared Cannonier (#11), a former middleweight title challenger in his 12th year on the roster, against Christian Leroy Duncan (#12), the fast-rising Englishman who’s yet to lose since arriving in the UFC. It’s on the same Paycom Center card as Dricus Du Plessis vs Kamaru Usman on Saturday 18 July.
The storylines
Duncan’s story is the one with momentum. A former Cage Warriors champion, he’s turned four straight UFC wins into a genuine case for the top 10 — his kickboxing has looked sharper with every outing, and at 26 he’s exactly the kind of opponent veteran contenders are supposed to avoid.
Cannonier’s story is about squeezing more out of a career that’s already delivered a title shot. Now in his eighth year at 185lbs, he’s split his last six fights, including a knockout win over Gregory Rodrigues and a win over current title-picture fixture Sean Strickland — proof the power and the fight IQ haven’t gone anywhere, even as the calendar works against him.
How the styles match up
This is Cannonier’s low-kick, clinch-heavy pressure against Duncan’s cleaner, more fluid kickboxing — and the 12-year age gap sits underneath everything. Duncan has the physical tools to match Cannonier’s power and the technical edge in open space; Cannonier’s path runs through the clinch and through landing single, fight-altering shots before Duncan’s volume piles up. If Duncan can keep this at range and stack rounds, he wins comfortably. If Cannonier gets inside and finds the chin, one moment changes the whole fight.
When to tune in
Main card starts 8:00 PM ET (1:00 AM BST Sunday) on Saturday 18 July, with Cannonier vs Duncan expected as the co-main — figure on it landing an hour to 90 minutes before the Du Plessis-Usman main event walk. The free stream linked above carries the whole card, no Paramount+ subscription or sign-up needed.