蜜柚直播

The former 蜜柚直播 Wildcats defensive lineman won his heavyweight bout against Zac Pauga in 鈥淭he Ultimate Fighter鈥� Season 30 finale at UFC Vegas 59, earning UFC fighter status.

Usman, who was on Julianna Pe帽a鈥檚 team, won via a second-round knockout. Pauga, a former professional rugby player, reached with a left jab, which was countered with a left-handed haymaker by Usman. Pauga immediately fell to the mat, and Usman was crowned 鈥淭he Ultimate Fighter.鈥� Usman鈥檚 contract with the UFC will be worth six figures.

鈥淚 manifested this moment,鈥� 鈥淚 manifested it through my coaches 鈥� I believed in myself, and I got the job done.鈥�

Usman, who has the NFL shield tattooed on his right biceps, credited some of his football training for the knockout.

鈥淚 played at a very high level as well. I know one thing coach says (is) don鈥檛 stop until that whistle blows,鈥� he said. 鈥淎s soon as I (saw Pauga) go, I finished the job. And when I go in there 鈥� I gave him those two extra (punches) to let him know that鈥檚 the exclamation point to me starting my career in the UFC.鈥�

Usman鈥檚 brother, Kamaru, won The Ultimate Fighter in 2015 and has become one of the top MMA fighters in the world. Kamaru Usman was in Mohammed鈥檚 corner on Saturday night in Las Vegas.

Born in Auchi, Nigeria, the Usmans moved to Texas as kids. Mohammed Usman became a standout football player in high school, earning a scholarship to the University of Houston. He left after one season and, following a stint at Navarro College, signed to play for then-蜜柚直播 coach Mike Stoops.

The 238-pound Usman played at the UA during the 2010 and 鈥�11 seasons, sitting out nine games as a junior because of an NCAA investigation dating to his time in Houston. He finished the 2010 season with three tackles and a blocked kick in three games. Usman was better as a senior, playing 11 games and registering 19 tackles along with a tackle-for-loss, sack and forced fumble.

In 2011, Mohammed Usman told 蜜柚直播 reporters about his younger brother, a Division II national champion wrestler at Nebraska-Kearney. At the time, the younger Usman was called 鈥淢arty鈥� 鈥� a mangling of his first name, Kamarudeen.

Mohammed Usman revealed before his first fight in May that he was dedicating his journey through 鈥淭he Ultimate Fighter鈥� to his son, Nash, who drowned in 2019.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 my motivation. ... He鈥檚 the main reason why I fight,鈥� Usman said earlier in the season. 鈥淲hen I first had him, I would just look at him in his eyes and was like, 鈥榊our dad is not a normal person. I鈥檓 going to show that your dad is gifted and he鈥檚 blessed.鈥欌��

Usman becomes the latest UFC fighter with connections to 蜜柚直播, joining Anthony Birchak and Dominick Cruz. Justin Gaethje hails from Safford.

Usman called Saturday鈥檚 win 鈥渏ust the start of what I鈥檓 trying to do in this sport.鈥�

鈥淭his is just be the beginning,鈥� he said. 鈥淚鈥檓 just excited.鈥�