Kamaru Usman is the UFC welterweight champion, the top pound-for-pound fighter in the world, and one of the greatest MMA fighters in history. His younger brother, Mohammed, doesn’t have the fame or notoriety, but he made a bit of history on Saturday. He knocked out former Houston Texans practice squad member Zac Pauga 36 seconds into the second round at the Apex in Las Vegas to win the heavyweight division on Season 30 of “The Ultimate Fighter.” In the process, the Usmans became the first set of brothers to win TUF. Kamaru Usman, who won the season 21 at welterweight in 2015, was in his younger brother’s corner on Saturday. Muhammad Usman’s last name may have helped land him on the cast of TUF, but once he got there, he created his own success. With former WBC heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder watching from ringside, Mohammed Usman cracked Pauga with a left hook to the chin to end things early. It earned him a UFC contract three years after the tragic accidental drowning death of his 3-year-old son, Nash. “It means the world to me” to win TUF for his son, Usman said. “It means the world to me and it’s the reason I’m here now. Don’t get me wrong, man. I could sit here and tell you it’s easy, but it’s not. I hurt every day of my life. It hurts right now to sit here and talk about this. I know he wants me to have a good life. He wants me to take care of my future children [as well as] my current children. He wants me to be a blessing to them. “That’s the No. 1 thing. I’m just trying to be the best dad I can be and show my kids, and my future kids, that there’s nothing you can’t accomplish in this world if you put your mind to it.” He has been in his brother’s shadow for much of this time, working diligently while serving as Kamaru’s hype man for his matches. But he had his mind set on winning TUF and earning a UFC deal and he did it in a big way. The story continues Muhammad Usman of Nigeria prepares to fight Zac Pauga in a heavyweight bout during UFC Fight Night at Apex on August 6, 2022, in Las Vegas. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC) Mohammed Usman was broadcasting on Saturday, but he wasn’t the only one. Each of the 10 fights ended in a finish, just the second time in UFC history that has happened.
Jeff Neal overcomes slow second round, angry coach
Geoff Neal was brilliant in the first round of his welterweight fight with Vicente Luque. Neal landed 52 significant blows in the first round, rocking Luke repeatedly with straight left hands. Neil was strong, precise and in control. But in the second, he took his foot off the gas and it was more even. It is, he said, a problem he has often. His trainer at Fortis MMA, Sayif Saud, knew this and told him so after the round. Saud got in Neal’s face during the rest period and told him in no uncertain terms to keep going. “I tend to take off the second round, especially when I have a tough first round,” Neal said. “I’m just saying, ‘Let me see if I can get through this round and get back to the third,’ but that’s stupid of me.” Neal hurt Luke with a blistering straight left that sent him into the cage. Neal then landed eight straight left uppercuts before the fight was stopped at 2:01 of the third.
Jamahal Hill is in fourth after tied for third
Thiago Santos took Hill Jamal down five times in the third round of the main event in a lightweight battle. But Hill, who calls Apex “Sweet Dreams Stadium” because of his success there, wasn’t deterred. He suspected Santos would be tired from the third grueling fight when he took Hill down five times in 11 attempts. Hill came out quickly in the fourth and hurt Santos. He took him down and finished him off with a vicious ground and pound. Referee Herb Dean stopped it at 2:31 of the fourth as Hill was blasting Santos with elbows. “I just don’t stop working,” Hill said. “That’s what I learned from my coaches and what I learned from my team, just keep working.” Hill entered the fight ranked 10th at light heavyweight, with Santos sixth. He’s hoping for a title shot after champion Jiri Prochazka, but said if it doesn’t happen, he wants former champion Jan Blachowicz, who is No. 2.
Julianna Miller wins the TUF flyweight title
Juliana Miller went a perfect 4-for-4 in takedowns Saturday to dominate Brogan Walker and win the TUF 30 flyweight title via a third-round TKO. He stopped Walker with elbows to the head from mount at 3:57 of the third and final round. It was a dominant performance from Miller, who had 9:40 control time in 13:57 of match time. Miller hit 54-of-85 of her big shots, connecting on 63 percent, in addition to a perfect takedown effort.
The biggest highlight was his head KO of Bryan Battle
Former TUF winner Bryan Battle had perhaps the most memorable moment of the night. He only needed 44 seconds to stop Takashi Sato in their match, knocking Soto out with a head kick. Battle said that in camp, he and his coaches noticed that Sato was vulnerable to head hits. “It’s something we’ve been waiting for,” he said. “I didn’t see it happening so soon. That was probably the most beautiful shot I’ve ever thrown.” After the match, he challenged both Bryan Barberena and Ian Garry to a match.
