Mohammed Usman made a strong case to become a potential future heavyweight title contender when he knocked out Zac Pauga for a win The ultimate fighter 30 in August 2022. Usman’s wins over Jake Collier and Junior Tafa proved he was a potential star in the making in the heavyweight division.
But after a 3-0 start to his UFC tenure, Usman suffered back-to-back losses to former LFA champion Thomas Petersen and Mick Parkin, a former LFA champion. Contender series by Dana White remarkable. Usman was able to bounce back from the first losing skid of his career with a decisive victory over Hamdy Abdelwahab last June.
Usman’s brief return to the heavyweight spotlight was dealt a huge blow when it was announced that the talented prospect was handed a 30-month ban after testing positive for a banned substance. A planned fight against Valter Walker, the brother of light heavyweight Johnny Walker, was canceled in October due to an Usman injury.
Usman will be on the sidelines for over two years while he serves his suspension, and the UFC has no plans to wait for his return to the Octagon.
Mohammed Usman was cut from the UFC roster three years after winning Ultimate Fighter
It was reported by MMA fighting Thursday that the UFC matchmakers parted ways with Usman as part of the promotion’s latest roster cuts. The UFC also opted not to re-sign Jailton Almeida after a string of slow performances in the Octagon.
The releases of Usman and Almeida are part of the UFC’s plans to revive the heavyweight division, which is currently stalled amid Tom Aspinall’s ongoing hiatus. Aspinall recently underwent surgery on both of his eyes after injuries suffered at UFC 321.
At the time of writing, Usman has not publicly discussed his UFC release and could potentially gain some interest in free agency.
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