Kamaru Usman on whether it's his brother Mohammed Usman's time to shine in the UFC - "Everything is God's plan"
Reigning pound-for-pound king Kamaru Usman now has a family member competing in the UFC. His brother, Mohammed Usman, is now a part of the promotion's heavyweight roster.
Ahead of his title defense against Leon Edwards at UFC 278, the elder Usman spoke to Aaron Bronsteter from TSN. On being asked whether it was time for his brother to make some noise in the UFC, he responded:
"Everything is God's plan, you know. So if God says this is his [Mohammed Usman] time, then this is his time. If God says this is not, this is just giving you a little taste, then you know, whenever it is time, his time will come."
Usman further emphasized the need to evolve in a sport such as mixed martial arts and refrained from levying any expectations on his brother yet:
"You know, even for me, I still feel like I am growing in this sport. And so, he's got a long way to go. He's got a lot to improve on, he's got a lot to work on. But that's the fun and that's the beauty of this sport... it's so rewarding. [As] Long as you continue to soak up the knowledge, and he continues to go out there and make a splash, I think he's gonna enjoy the ride all the way up."
Mohammed Usman won his heavyweight bout against Zac Pauga in the finale of Season 30 of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF). 'The Motor' was awarded a UFC contract for the same and will look forward to being part of the promotion.
Watch Mohammed Usman being awarded The Ultimate Fighter trophy by Dana White:
Meanwhile, Kamaru Usman is looking to successfully complete his sixth title defense this weekend as he hopes to take one more step towards being recognized as the greatest welterweight in promotional history.
Francis Ngannou wants no business with Kamaru Usman's brother
A vicious left hand just 36 seconds into the fight against Zac Pauga earned Mohammed Usman his first UFC victory. The win also made him and his brother Kamaru Usman the only two brothers to win the tournament.
'The Nigerian Nightmare' showed support for his brother on Instagram by posting an image of the entire team together with the caption:
"First family of TUF winners congratulations @umohammed97 #TUFChamp"
Check out Kamaru Usman's post below:
The welterweight champion was not the only one to take to social media in the aftermath of Mohammed Usman's win. Heavyweight titleholder Francis Ngannou also reacted to the win and welcomed the newest UFC heavyweight.
Ngannou tweeted:
"A new contender was born in the heavyweight division and personally I want no business with this man Congrats brother @Umohammed97 "
Check out the tweet below:
While Mohammed Usman might not possess the grappling skills of his brother, the heavyweight fighter certainly has explosive punching power. As he attempts to work his way up the ladder, the 33-year-old will look to become a well-rounded mixed martial artist.
'The Motor's' upcoming outings will in all likelihood give fans a better idea of his potential to perhaps replicate his elder brother's success down the line.