Athletes
Mohammed Usman | Finding Comfort In Chaos
Heavyweight Returns To The Octagon With A Newfound Confidence And Comfort Ahead Of His Fight In Baku
Just days after his brother, Kamaru Usman, returned to the Octagon and got back in the win column with a dominant performance, Mohammed Usman has the opportunity to do the same. He returns to competition after almost a year away, drawing motivation from “The Nigerian Nightmare,” both inside and outside of the Octagon.
“I get a lot of motivation from my brother since the beginning of my career to now,” Usman said. “He motivates me in every step because just being able to get in the Octagon is motivation in itself, but to see him overcome all the battles and obstacles he's overcome, it brings me back to all my obstacles that I know God put me here to overcome, so I'm ready.”
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This Saturday, Usman is one of the lucky fighters that gets to be a part of a historic card as the Octagon touches down for the first time in Baku, Azerbaijan. After a long journey from the United States, Usman is happy to finally be in fight week and having the opportunity to travel the world doing what he loves. Not only is he drawing inspiration for his brother, but also UFC Hall of Famer Rashad Evans, who made the journey to Baku and will be in his corner on Saturday night.
“Rashad has always been there, but this is the first time that he's really been in the corner,” Usman said. “Every fight I've had, Rashad has been there. At this point in my life, it's like you don't force anything, you just let things happen how they may. It just happened perfectly. When everything is perfect timing, you just go with it.”
Usman is the first to admit that 2024 wasn’t his year. He dropped back-to-back contests to Mick Parkin and Thomas Petersen. But sometimes that is a part of the fight game, and the losses allowed him to go back to the drawing board and focus on getting better. One of the main takeaways for “Motor” was the mental aspect of the sport and realizing that you could do everything right in camp, but if you aren’t there mentally on fight day, nothing else matters.
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It's the mindset he takes into his matchup against Hamdy Abdelwahab inside Baku Crystal Hall on Saturday night.
“Don’t overthink things,” Usman said. “This game easily makes you overthink what to do in there. When I knew two or three things, I did more than when I knew 100. You learn to not overthink it in there and just flow and just get in there and do what you're good at and don't overthink. Don't think too much, because when you think too much, you're losing. I learned that in the fight, just go and don't overthink.”
When he looks at the matchup on Saturday, Usman knows it isn’t going to be easy. After all, it’s two big heavyweights in the center of the Octagon, most likely swinging to put the other one out. He is confident in the preparation he has taken to get ready for this moment, and he wants to show the growth he has made since the last time he made the walk.
As with many things, the more you do it, the more you get comfortable with it, and that saying is true for the 36-year-old.
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“A lot of fights, you're so tense and nervous because it is two big guys hitting each other, but I've gotten to a place where I'm comfortable in there,” Usman said. “Comfortable in the chaos and that's what I'm going to show. I'm going to show how comfortable I can be in the fire and be able to stand tough and just keep coming forward and walking it down.”
It has been over a year since Usman has had that winning feeling. The feeling everyone longs for. And Saturday night, he is hungry to feel that once again.
“It would mean the world to me to win, the world to my family, my coaches and, of course, myself, more than anything. I can't wait. That feeling is indescribable and you want to just keep feeling that feeling again and again and again, it's like a drug. I can't wait to get that feeling again and get my hand raised.”
UFC Fight Night: Hill vs Rountree Jr. took place live from Baku Crystal Hall in Baku, Azerbaijan on June 21, 2025. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!
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