LAS VEGAS – Mohammed Usman doesn’t mind regularly being linked to his brother Kamaru. In fact, he loves it.
Usman (7-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC) is the younger brother of UFC welterweight champion and No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter Kamaru Usman, something that the Season 30 “Ultimate Fighter” finalist is very proud of.
“I love it,” Usman told MMA Junkie and other reporters at Wednesday’s UFC on ESPN 40 media day. “He’s an Usman. It’s our last name. I’m here because of my brother for the aspect of he started fighting before me.”
Make no mistake about it though, Usman says his brother’s name and success didn’t grant him any undeserved opportunities or an easier path than the rest of the fighters. Usman has experience competing for Titan FC and PFL and now finds himself in the “TUF 30” heavyweight final against Zac Pauga (5-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC), which takes place Saturday at UFC on ESPN 40.
“I had to put the work in to get here,” Usman said. “Fighting is fighting. It’s not, ‘Oh, Kamaru’s your brother. Now let’s just push you up here. You’re in 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 here because your brother is 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, that’s why I love it because I’m still the one that has to go out there and compete and have to fight and have to win for you guys to even be up here and talk crap to me and tell me about my brother. If I don’t win, I’m not even getting up here and looking at you guys.”
UFC on ESPN 40 takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The card airs on ESPN and streams on ESPN+.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 40.
