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Mohammed Usman is set to fight in The Ultimate Fighter season 30 heavyweight finals, which take place on Saturday's UFC Fight Night: Santos vs. Hill undercard. If he wins, he'll have earned his spot on the UFC roster next to his brother, welterweight champion Kamaru Usman.
It can't be easy being compared to an older brother who isn't just a UFC champion, but the No. 1 ranked pound-for-pound fighter in the UFC. Usman doesn't mind, though. During a media day for this weekend's upcoming card, he said:
"I love it. He's an Usman, it's our last name. I'm here because of my brother, from the aspect of he started fighting before me. I had to put the work in to get here. FIghting is fighting. It's not 'Oh, Kamaru's your brother, now let's just push you up here you're the winner of The Ultimate Fighter finale. You don't have to fight these two hard monsters that are coming in at 265 pounds to be here. We'll just put you in because your brother's Kamaru Usman.' That's false."
"Everything about fighting is yourself. That's why I love it so much because as much as people speak about my brother, I'm still the one that has to come out here and compete and fight and win for me to be up here and you guys talk crap about me and tell me about my brother. If I don't win I'm not even getting up here ... I have to go out and win to get another 'Oh, compared to your brother?' Oh, thank you, I won, so yes, if I'm winning I'm doing great."
Watch Mohammed Usman at the UFC Fight Night: Santos vs. Hall media day event:
Usman comes into his pivotal fight against fellow TUF finalist Zac Pauga with a 7-2 record, but will have to overcome the odds if he wants to earn the title of 'The Ultimate Fighter.' Vegas bookies have him a +200 underdog to Pauga's -240 favorite status.
Mohammed Usman explains how Kamaru Usman inspired him to chase his MMA dream
Mohammed Usman began fighting in 2016, just one year after his big brother Kamaru Usman joined the UFC after winning his own season of The Ultimate Fighter. In a promo video for the TUF finals, the younger Usman said that he's been following the blueprint his brother has made towards greatness.
"My big brother, his name is Kamaru Usman, 'The Nigerian Nightmare.' The welterweight champion of the world. I've always been watching, I've always been soaking up his energy, I've always been there, taking mental reps, mental notes. I know that with the same work, I can accomplish the same goals. And I'm on a mission to do just that. Being here just competing is a dream of mine ... And I'm chasing this dream because I've seen it happen."
Watch Mohammed Usman talk about his brother Kamaru Usman's influence below:
