UFC on ABC: Hill vs. Rountree Jr. · Jun 21, 2025 · Heavyweight · Completed
Prev Fight UFC on ABC: Hill vs. Rountree Jr.
Age 33
Height 6' 2"
Reach 72.0"
Weight 264 lbs.
Stance Southpaw
Age 37
Height 6' 2"
Reach 79.0"
Weight 239 lbs.
Stance Orthodox
Career Averages - Hamdy Abdelwahab
4.27 SLpM
55.0% Str. Acc.
3.67 SApM
51.0% Str. Def.
3.25 TD Avg
65.0% TD Acc.
100.0% TD Def.
0.0 Sub. Avg
Career Averages - Mohammed Usman
3.85 SLpM
39.0% Str. Acc.
4.27 SApM
51.0% Str. Def.
0.56 TD Avg
14.0% TD Acc.
66.0% TD Def.
0.0 Sub. Avg
Hamdy Abdelwahab
Moneyline
BetMGM -160
KO/TKO
BetRivers +480
Submission
BetRivers +2200
Decision
FanDuel +125
Mohammed Usman
Moneyline
Caesars +150
KO/TKO
FanDuel +500
Submission
FanDuel +2500
Decision
FanDuel +290
Hamdy Abdelwahab - Fight History
WIN vs Chris Barnett
Decision R3 5:00 · UFC 321 · Oct 25, 2025
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Hamdy Abdelwahab 0 99 of 139 71% 170 of 221 9 of 14 64% 0 0 10:48
Chris Barnett 0 18 of 35 51% 28 of 46 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Hamdy Abdelwahab 0 41 of 58 70% 47 of 64 4 of 6 66% 0 0 3:03
Chris Barnett 0 8 of 16 50% 8 of 17 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Hamdy Abdelwahab 0 27 of 44 61% 60 of 87 2 of 4 50% 0 0 4:13
Chris Barnett 0 5 of 7 71% 9 of 11 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
3 Hamdy Abdelwahab 0 31 of 37 83% 63 of 70 3 of 4 75% 0 0 3:32
Chris Barnett 0 5 of 12 41% 11 of 18 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Hamdy Abdelwahab 99 of 139 71% 88 of 125 8 of 10 3 of 4 16 of 25 13 of 14 70 of 100
Chris Barnett 18 of 35 51% 7 of 21 4 of 4 7 of 10 14 of 30 3 of 4 1 of 1
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Hamdy Abdelwahab 41 of 58 70% 35 of 51 5 of 6 1 of 1 10 of 16 6 of 6 25 of 36
Chris Barnett 8 of 16 50% 3 of 11 4 of 4 1 of 1 5 of 12 3 of 4 0 of 0
2 Hamdy Abdelwahab 27 of 44 61% 27 of 43 0 of 1 0 of 0 1 of 2 4 of 5 22 of 37
Chris Barnett 5 of 7 71% 1 of 2 0 of 0 4 of 5 5 of 7 0 of 0 0 of 0
3 Hamdy Abdelwahab 31 of 37 83% 26 of 31 3 of 3 2 of 3 5 of 7 3 of 3 23 of 27
Chris Barnett 5 of 12 41% 3 of 8 0 of 0 2 of 4 4 of 11 0 of 0 1 of 1
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Lean picked Oct 19, 2025 (6 days before fight)
Chris Barnett

Angelo picks Chris Barnett despite acknowledging his own bias (he knows Barnett personally). He criticizes Hamdy Abdelwahab for being a boring, steroid-using fighter who doesn't wrestle enough despite being an Olympic wrestler. Angelo believes Barnett will at least move forward and throw punches, while Hamdy coasts. He advises not betting on this sloppy fight.

Do not bet on this fight. Just leave it alone. This is going to be a sloppy mess.
"I'm going to pick Chris, and while I fully recognize he's also a little fat and he's kind of old, he's not afraid to actually fight. This guy will go for it. I'll pick the guy who will move forward …"
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Oct 22, 2025 (3 days before fight)
Hamdy Abdelwahab

Big Brady picks Hamdy Abdelwahab, calling Chris Barnett the worst heavyweight on the roster due to age, injuries, and size. He notes Barnett is 39, 5'9", and has taken significant damage. Brady expects Hamdy to finally get his first UFC finish, using his power to hurt and stop Barnett early. He calls it a 'nut up or shut up' fight for Hamdy and predicts a first-round KO.

Hamdy by first round KO
"I think Hamdy goes out there and gets his first finish in the UFC. Hamdy, he hits hard. I think he goes out there and hurts Barnett and puts him away. So, yeah, give me Hamdy Abdel Wahab. I think …"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Oct 22, 2025 (3 days before fight)
Hamdy Abdelwahab

Cody picks Hamdy Abdelwahab, noting that Barnett is undersized at 5'9" and has poor takedown defense. He believes Hamdy's wrestling and power will be too much, and Barnett's only chance is a flashy KO. Cody expects Hamdy to win by boring decision or TKO.

"I think Hamdy makes this look real easy."
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Hesitant picked Oct 24, 2025 (1 day before fight)
Chris Barnett

Connor picks Barnett based on vibes, noting that Abdelwahab is undercooked and has poor fundamentals. He believes Barnett's unorthodox style and experience could confuse Abdelwahab, who has only five pro fights. Connor acknowledges Barnett's lack of fundamentals but thinks he can outmaneuver Abdelwahab, especially if Abdelwahab fades. He also notes that Barnett is a character and he wants him to win.

Abdelwahab is a huge favorite at -400; Barnett is +300. Connor finds the odds surprising.
"I think I'm gonna pick Chris Barnett. ... He will confuse and frustrate them."
DA
Daniel Vreeland Expert Confident picked Oct 23, 2025 (2 days before fight)
Hamdy Abdelwahab

Daniel Vreeland is confident in Abdelwahab's athleticism and power, calling this a significant step down in competition. He criticizes Barnett's age, obesity, and gimmicky style, and believes Abdelwahab will win easily, possibly by knockout. He notes that Barnett has already overachieved with two UFC wins and doesn't expect a third.

wins by KO
"I'm going to take the Egyptian Olympian Hamdi Abdel Wahhab to come out here and get back on track and possibly get a knockout."
LU
Lucrative James Expert Confident picked Oct 20, 2025 (5 days before fight)
Hamdy Abdelwahab

Lucrative James picks Hamdy Abdelwahab confidently, calling Chris Barnett one of the worst fighters on the roster. He notes Barnett's massive size disadvantage (5'9" at heavyweight) and reliance on flashy moves like spinning wheel kicks, which have caused injuries. He believes Abdelwahab can out-jab him, take him down at will, and win by dominant decision or late finish when Barnett tires.

decision or late finish
"I'm definitely picked picking Hamdi Abdel Wahab here. ... Chris Barnett at this point, man, I mean, yeah, I just I can't pick him."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Oct 22, 2025 (3 days before fight)
Hamdy Abdelwahab

The host acknowledges Barnett's return from an Achilles injury but believes Abdelwahab's grappling, which he hasn't leaned on much, will be used to shut down Barnett's striking. He predicts Abdelwahab wins on the scorecards.

decision
"I think the grappling of Abdel Wahab... we'll see him lean on it this time to really shut Barnett's striking game down."
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Oct 22, 2025 (3 days before fight)
Hamdy Abdelwahab

Paul agrees, calling Barnett a shell of himself after injuries and inactivity. He notes that Hamdy is an Olympic-level wrestler and will likely take Barnett down and control him. Paul believes Barnett's only win condition is a spinning kick KO, which is unlikely.

"Hamdy by boring, boring, you know, the tactics which are basically his only tactics."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Hesitant picked Oct 21, 2025 (4 days before fight)
Hamdy Abdelwahab

The MMA Guru picks Hamdy Abdelwahab by decision, but is hesitant. He notes that Chris Barnett is old, injury-prone, and has had knee and foot surgeries, but also sees value in Barnett as an underdog. He believes Abdelwahab can pressure Barnett, take him down, and knee him against the cage. However, he admits Barnett could win by TKO. He expects a 29-28 decision for Abdelwahab.

Chris Barnett is good value as an underdog; Abdelwahab by 29-28 decision
"I'm going to go with Hamdy Abdel Wahab. I just can't seriously go with Chris Barnett. He is good value, though."
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Hesitant picked Oct 24, 2025 (1 day before fight)
Chris Barnett

Zane also picks Barnett, noting that Abdelwahab has better fundamentals but is inexperienced and gasses easily. He believes Barnett's weirdness could be too much for Abdelwahab to handle, especially if Abdelwahab can't connect his game together. Zane also points out that Abdelwahab's only win is a split decision over Jamal Pogues and that he lost to Mohammed Usman.

"I don't see a reason not to pick Chris Barnett. Honestly, like I'm Abdel Wahab is he clearly has better fundamentals. Yeah, but he's had five pro fights."
LOSS vs Mohammed Usman
Decision R3 5:00 · UFC on ABC: Hill vs. Rountree Jr. · Jun 21, 2025
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Hamdy Abdelwahab 0 55 of 123 44% 55 of 124 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:02
Mohammed Usman 0 86 of 179 48% 86 of 179 0 of 4 0% 0 0 0:00
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Hamdy Abdelwahab 0 16 of 32 50% 16 of 32 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Mohammed Usman 0 9 of 46 19% 9 of 46 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Hamdy Abdelwahab 0 21 of 39 53% 21 of 40 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:02
Mohammed Usman 0 29 of 54 53% 29 of 54 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
3 Hamdy Abdelwahab 0 18 of 52 34% 18 of 52 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Mohammed Usman 0 48 of 79 60% 48 of 79 0 of 3 0% 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Hamdy Abdelwahab 55 of 123 44% 34 of 97 10 of 13 11 of 13 55 of 123 0 of 0 0 of 0
Mohammed Usman 86 of 179 48% 44 of 123 41 of 54 1 of 2 86 of 179 0 of 0 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Hamdy Abdelwahab 16 of 32 50% 9 of 22 1 of 2 6 of 8 16 of 32 0 of 0 0 of 0
Mohammed Usman 9 of 46 19% 8 of 42 1 of 3 0 of 1 9 of 46 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Hamdy Abdelwahab 21 of 39 53% 13 of 31 5 of 5 3 of 3 21 of 39 0 of 0 0 of 0
Mohammed Usman 29 of 54 53% 16 of 34 12 of 19 1 of 1 29 of 54 0 of 0 0 of 0
3 Hamdy Abdelwahab 18 of 52 34% 12 of 44 4 of 6 2 of 2 18 of 52 0 of 0 0 of 0
Mohammed Usman 48 of 79 60% 20 of 47 28 of 32 0 of 0 48 of 79 0 of 0 0 of 0
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Hesitant picked Jun 20, 2025 (1 day before fight)
Hamdy Abdelwahab

Angelo picks Hamdy Abdelwahab but with significant reservations. He notes that Hamdy is an Olympic wrestler but has looked sloppy, gasses easily, and hasn't shown good cardio. He mentions that Mohammed Usman is big and athletic but may not be fully committed, citing an interview where his brother said he's on the fence about continuing. Angelo ultimately fades both for fantasy but picks Hamdy due to the potential for takedowns if Usman is not prepared.

Fading both for fantasy; mentions Hamdy's potential for high scoring if he uses wrestling but doubts it.
"I'm picked Hamdi because while Muhammad Usman is big and he's athletic and he does have some raw power, we've seen it and he doesn't gas nearly as quickly as Hamdi does."
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Jun 18, 2025 (3 days before fight)
Hamdy Abdelwahab

Big Brady picks Hamdy Abdelwahab but is not excited about the fight. He expects Abdelwahab to get a takedown in the first round, gas out, and then the fight becomes a low-volume affair going to decision. He thinks Abdelwahab clearly lost his last fight but will get the nod from judges. He predicts Abdelwahab by decision and says he will look to fade him in the future.

decision, fade in the future
"Give me Hamdy. Hamdy to win by decision."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Hesitant picked Jun 19, 2025 (2 days before fight)
Hamdy Abdelwahab

The host is not a big believer in Abdelwahab but thinks Usman is not good either. He expects Abdelwahab's aggressiveness and wrestling threat to keep Usman moving backward, allowing Abdelwahab to grind out a decision win.

"I'm not a big Abdul Wahab believer, but Usman is not that good either. I think the aggressiveness and a possible wrestling threat of Abdul Wahab will keep Usman moving back backward and eating some big shots allowing Abdaw Wahhab …"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Jun 20, 2025 (1 day before fight)
Mohammed Usman

The MMA Guru picks Mohammed Usman as an underdog, calling Hamdy Abdelwahab 'absolute garbage' and a 'fat sack of garbage'. He believes the odds are skewed because Abdelwahab is undefeated, but sees the fight as 50/50. He expects Usman's reach advantage and better conditioning to allow him to outpoint Abdelwahab in the later rounds, predicting a 29-28 decision.

Fight goes to decision, Usman wins by decision 29-28
"I'm going to go with the underdog to start the card of Muhammad Usman here. I'm picking Muhammad Usman to win."
WIN vs Jamal Pogues
Decision R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Adesanya vs. Imavov · Feb 01, 2025
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Hamdy Abdelwahab 0 44 of 87 50% 52 of 103 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:57
Jamal Pogues 0 69 of 123 56% 69 of 123 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Hamdy Abdelwahab 0 11 of 23 47% 19 of 39 1 of 1 100% 0 0 0:57
Jamal Pogues 0 22 of 40 55% 22 of 40 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
2 Hamdy Abdelwahab 0 12 of 25 48% 12 of 25 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Jamal Pogues 0 22 of 44 50% 22 of 44 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
3 Hamdy Abdelwahab 0 21 of 39 53% 21 of 39 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Jamal Pogues 0 25 of 39 64% 25 of 39 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Hamdy Abdelwahab 44 of 87 50% 25 of 65 3 of 4 16 of 18 40 of 81 0 of 0 4 of 6
Jamal Pogues 69 of 123 56% 43 of 94 0 of 0 26 of 29 68 of 122 1 of 1 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Hamdy Abdelwahab 11 of 23 47% 8 of 19 0 of 0 3 of 4 7 of 17 0 of 0 4 of 6
Jamal Pogues 22 of 40 55% 14 of 30 0 of 0 8 of 10 22 of 40 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Hamdy Abdelwahab 12 of 25 48% 6 of 18 0 of 0 6 of 7 12 of 25 0 of 0 0 of 0
Jamal Pogues 22 of 44 50% 12 of 33 0 of 0 10 of 11 22 of 44 0 of 0 0 of 0
3 Hamdy Abdelwahab 21 of 39 53% 11 of 28 3 of 4 7 of 7 21 of 39 0 of 0 0 of 0
Jamal Pogues 25 of 39 64% 17 of 31 0 of 0 8 of 8 24 of 38 1 of 1 0 of 0
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Lean picked Jan 26, 2025 (6 days before fight)
Hamdy Abdelwahab

Angelo picks Hamdy Abdelwahab despite concerns about his two-year suspension and lack of recent fights. He believes Abdelwahab's Olympic-level wrestling will allow him to get takedowns, and notes that Jamal Pogues looked poor off his back in his last fight. He expects the line to flip and plans to monitor line movement before betting.

Plans to use line movement tracker; expects Hamdy to flip to favorite.
"I am going HDI here I'm going to keep an eye on the line I'm going to eat my own dog food drink my own champagne"
BI
Big Brady Expert Hesitant picked Jan 27, 2025 (5 days before fight)
Jamal Pogues

Big Brady is not sold on either fighter. He notes Hamdy Abdelwahab has a long layoff due to a suspension and wasn't impressed with his performance against Dantel Ma. Jamal Pogues is a light heavyweight moving up, but he showed up heavy and with a weird haircut. Brady thinks Pogues has better cardio and striking down the stretch, and predicts a split decision win for Pogues. He calls the fight 'sloppy greasy gassy' and expects it to be terrible.

split decision
"I'm going to take Jamal poges to win a split here maybe get taken down early but have the better cardio down the stretch have the better striking down the stretch"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Jan 30, 2025 (2 days before fight)
Jamal Pogues

Pogues is the better striker and will use his jab from distance to outpoint Abdelwahab, who is returning from a long layoff after a USADA suspension. The pick is based on Pogues' striking advantage and Abdelwahab's potential ring rust.

"I believe the striking of Pogues will pose too much for the returning Abdelwahab... I think we'll see Pogues stick him from distance stay on that jab and win this fight on the scorecards."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Jan 28, 2025 (4 days before fight)
Hamdy Abdelwahab

The MMA Guru picks Hamdy Abdelwahab, noting he is a physical specimen with good wrestling skills and more experience than his record suggests due to fights in Gamebred MMA. He acknowledges Abdelwahab's suspension for PEDs but believes he is more talented than Jamal Pogues and will likely win via takedowns. He mentions Abdelwahab's close fight with Don'Tale May but still favors him.

"I'm going to go with Hamdi Abdul wahab... he's a monster he's a physical specimen of a guy... he'll probably be able to take him down with his wrestling skill"
LOSS vs Don'Tale Mayes
No Contest (overturned) R3 5:00 · UFC 277: Pena vs. Nunes 2 · Jul 30, 2022
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Hamdy Abdelwahab 0 47 of 116 40% 54 of 123 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Don'Tale Mayes 1 58 of 110 52% 106 of 164 3 of 4 75% 0 0 6:36
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Hamdy Abdelwahab 0 11 of 40 27% 11 of 40 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Don'Tale Mayes 1 21 of 40 52% 44 of 67 1 of 2 50% 0 0 2:00
2 Hamdy Abdelwahab 0 24 of 56 42% 27 of 59 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Don'Tale Mayes 0 19 of 41 46% 20 of 42 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:45
3 Hamdy Abdelwahab 0 12 of 20 60% 16 of 24 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Don'Tale Mayes 0 18 of 29 62% 42 of 55 2 of 2 100% 0 0 3:51
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Hamdy Abdelwahab 47 of 116 40% 28 of 90 12 of 17 7 of 9 45 of 111 2 of 5 0 of 0
Don'Tale Mayes 58 of 110 52% 51 of 102 5 of 6 2 of 2 30 of 74 2 of 3 26 of 33
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Hamdy Abdelwahab 11 of 40 27% 6 of 31 2 of 4 3 of 5 11 of 40 0 of 0 0 of 0
Don'Tale Mayes 21 of 40 52% 19 of 37 1 of 2 1 of 1 13 of 30 2 of 2 6 of 8
2 Hamdy Abdelwahab 24 of 56 42% 14 of 44 6 of 8 4 of 4 22 of 51 2 of 5 0 of 0
Don'Tale Mayes 19 of 41 46% 14 of 36 4 of 4 1 of 1 13 of 32 0 of 0 6 of 9
3 Hamdy Abdelwahab 12 of 20 60% 8 of 15 4 of 5 0 of 0 12 of 20 0 of 0 0 of 0
Don'Tale Mayes 18 of 29 62% 18 of 29 0 of 0 0 of 0 4 of 12 0 of 1 14 of 16
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Jul 25, 2022 (5 days before fight)
Don'Tale Mayes

Big Brady picks Don'Tale Mayes to win by knockout in the second or third round. He is very critical of Abdelwahab's level of competition, cardio, and ground game, calling him not UFC caliber. He expects Mayes to use his size advantage and eventually finish Abdelwahab as he slows down.

"i like dantel mace here i like dantel mace to finish him d abdul wahab and i like him to do in that second or third round by knockout"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Jul 26, 2022 (4 days before fight)
Don'Tale Mayes

Cody picks Mayes, noting that Abdelwahab is a short-notice replacement who didn't earn his way to the UFC. He describes Abdelwahab as an Egyptian wrestling champion but with a small wrestling program, and his striking is very rudimentary. Mayes has a huge size advantage (6'6" with 81" reach) and has been improving his grappling. He thinks Mayes will feast on Abdelwahab, staying on the outside and chopping away. He also mentions he got Mayes at -125 earlier.

"i think dante manages feasts on him there's going to be a huge size advantage... he's going to be able to just stay to the outside and chop away at this guy"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Confident picked Jul 27, 2022 (3 days before fight)
Don'Tale Mayes

Daniel picks Mayes on principle, citing his experience and dues paid. He notes Mayes has fought tougher competition, including Ciryl Gane, and has a two-fight win streak. He heavily criticizes Abdelwahab's resume, calling his opponents 'ice cream vendors' and noting he has only 3 pro fights, all mismatches. He also questions the level of Egyptian Greco-Roman wrestling, citing a friend who said it's not comparable to US or Russian wrestling. He acknowledges Mayes isn't elite but believes experience will prevail.

"I gotta go Don'Tale Mayes on principle."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Jul 30, 2022 (fight day)
Don'Tale Mayes

Preet bet Mayes at -132, noting Hamdi's sketchy competition and poor cardio. He expects Mayes to keep distance with his jab and footwork, survive the first round, and take over as Hamdi slows down. He references Mayes' wrestling-heavy win over Josh Parisian as evidence of his late-round finishing ability.

"i'm on the maze side too here i got it at -132"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Jul 26, 2022 (4 days before fight)
Don'Tale Mayes

Paul also picks Mayes, agreeing that Abdelwahab is a short-notice replacement who is not a legitimate prospect. He notes that Mayes has been improving, with good wins over Josh Parisian and Roque Martinez. He thinks Mayes' size and reach advantage will be key, and that Abdelwahab's wrestling won't be enough. He also mentions that Mayes has been working on his grappling and shouldn't be mistaken for the same guy from a few fights back.

"i got to go maze for sure for sure for sure... he's taking the fun and short notice and he's probably going to get the ass beat pretty good"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Jul 30, 2022 (fight day)
Don'Tale Mayes

The MMA Guru picks Don'Tale Mayes by TKO in the second round. He expects Hamdy Abdelwahab to come out fast with takedowns and pressure, but will gas out in round two. Mayes will then take over with body work, jabs, and a counter shot that rocks Hamdy, leading to ground-and-pound elbows.

TKO in round 2
"dantel maze gets this one done by tko late in the second"
Mohammed Usman - Fight History
CANCEL vs Valter Walker
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Oct 5, 2025 (6 days before fight)
Valter Walker

Angelo picks Valter Walker, noting his wrestling and heel hook expertise. He believes Valter should win by takedown and submission, but expresses concern about Valter's striking and potential to quit if takedowns are defended. He has low confidence in Mohammed Usman's skill set, calling him not a great fighter. He advises caution due to Valter's shaky performance in his last fight.

"Valter should absolutely win this fight. He should. Should be pretty straightforward. Get a takedown, rip off a limb, get on with your day."
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Lean picked Oct 8, 2025 (3 days before fight)
Mohammed Usman

Cody picks Usman but is not confident, noting Walker's submission threat. He believes Usman's wrestling and durability can neutralize Walker, but expects a close fight. He suggests passing or taking the sub prop on Walker.

over 2.5 rounds (+115)
"I think it goes to decision. I think it's an over two and a half."
LU
Lucrative James Expert Confident picked Oct 8, 2025 (3 days before fight)
Valter Walker

Lucrative James picks Valter Walker, highlighting his signature heel hook and the fact that Mohammed Usman is the type of fighter to get caught in one. He notes Walker's three consecutive heel hook wins in the UFC and believes Usman's grappling defense is not elite. He also mentions Walker's improved physique and cardio, and expects a round one submission. He likes the under 2.5 rounds (-135) and Walker by submission (+175).

under 2.5 rounds (-135), Valter Walker by submission (+175), Valter Walker round 1 (+255), Valter Walker round 1 submission (+400)
"I've got VA Walker in this fight guys. Muhammad Usman doesn't have much in my opinion."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Lean picked Oct 9, 2025 (2 days before fight)
Valter Walker

Manpreet picks Walker to win by submission but is not confident in the moneyline at -315. He notes Walker's heel hook threat but also his vulnerability if the submission fails. He suggests Usman at plus 265 is worth consideration if he can avoid early danger. He prefers the submission prop at +175.

Walker by submission (+175); Usman by decision (+550)
"I'm going to pick Walker to win. I'll likely pick him to win by submission. But, that money line is just nothing I want to get near."
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Lean picked Oct 8, 2025 (3 days before fight)
Mohammed Usman

Paul picks Usman as a dog, citing Walker's one-dimensional game of fishing for heel hooks. He notes Usman's wrestling defense and jab, and believes he can stuff takedowns and win a decision. He suggests the over and Usman by decision.

over 2.5 rounds (+115)
"I still am going to outright pick Usman along the same basis of why I faded Patrino against Person."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Oct 7, 2025 (4 days before fight)
Valter Walker

The MMA Guru picks Valter Walker over Mohammed Usman, citing Walker's recent leg lock submissions and Usman's tentative, scared fighting style. He believes Walker will march forward and secure a heel hook submission in the first round. He notes Usman is more of an athlete than a fighter.

submission in round 1
"I'm going to go with Vultter Walker getting that leg and getting Muhammad Usman out of there in the first round by submission."
Decision R3 5:00 · UFC on ABC: Hill vs. Rountree Jr. · Jun 21, 2025
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Hamdy Abdelwahab 0 55 of 123 44% 55 of 124 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:02
Mohammed Usman 0 86 of 179 48% 86 of 179 0 of 4 0% 0 0 0:00
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Hamdy Abdelwahab 0 16 of 32 50% 16 of 32 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Mohammed Usman 0 9 of 46 19% 9 of 46 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Hamdy Abdelwahab 0 21 of 39 53% 21 of 40 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:02
Mohammed Usman 0 29 of 54 53% 29 of 54 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
3 Hamdy Abdelwahab 0 18 of 52 34% 18 of 52 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Mohammed Usman 0 48 of 79 60% 48 of 79 0 of 3 0% 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Hamdy Abdelwahab 55 of 123 44% 34 of 97 10 of 13 11 of 13 55 of 123 0 of 0 0 of 0
Mohammed Usman 86 of 179 48% 44 of 123 41 of 54 1 of 2 86 of 179 0 of 0 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Hamdy Abdelwahab 16 of 32 50% 9 of 22 1 of 2 6 of 8 16 of 32 0 of 0 0 of 0
Mohammed Usman 9 of 46 19% 8 of 42 1 of 3 0 of 1 9 of 46 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Hamdy Abdelwahab 21 of 39 53% 13 of 31 5 of 5 3 of 3 21 of 39 0 of 0 0 of 0
Mohammed Usman 29 of 54 53% 16 of 34 12 of 19 1 of 1 29 of 54 0 of 0 0 of 0
3 Hamdy Abdelwahab 18 of 52 34% 12 of 44 4 of 6 2 of 2 18 of 52 0 of 0 0 of 0
Mohammed Usman 48 of 79 60% 20 of 47 28 of 32 0 of 0 48 of 79 0 of 0 0 of 0
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Hesitant picked Jun 20, 2025 (1 day before fight)
Hamdy Abdelwahab

Angelo picks Hamdy Abdelwahab but with significant reservations. He notes that Hamdy is an Olympic wrestler but has looked sloppy, gasses easily, and hasn't shown good cardio. He mentions that Mohammed Usman is big and athletic but may not be fully committed, citing an interview where his brother said he's on the fence about continuing. Angelo ultimately fades both for fantasy but picks Hamdy due to the potential for takedowns if Usman is not prepared.

Fading both for fantasy; mentions Hamdy's potential for high scoring if he uses wrestling but doubts it.
"I'm picked Hamdi because while Muhammad Usman is big and he's athletic and he does have some raw power, we've seen it and he doesn't gas nearly as quickly as Hamdi does."
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Jun 18, 2025 (3 days before fight)
Hamdy Abdelwahab

Big Brady picks Hamdy Abdelwahab but is not excited about the fight. He expects Abdelwahab to get a takedown in the first round, gas out, and then the fight becomes a low-volume affair going to decision. He thinks Abdelwahab clearly lost his last fight but will get the nod from judges. He predicts Abdelwahab by decision and says he will look to fade him in the future.

decision, fade in the future
"Give me Hamdy. Hamdy to win by decision."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Hesitant picked Jun 19, 2025 (2 days before fight)
Hamdy Abdelwahab

The host is not a big believer in Abdelwahab but thinks Usman is not good either. He expects Abdelwahab's aggressiveness and wrestling threat to keep Usman moving backward, allowing Abdelwahab to grind out a decision win.

"I'm not a big Abdul Wahab believer, but Usman is not that good either. I think the aggressiveness and a possible wrestling threat of Abdul Wahab will keep Usman moving back backward and eating some big shots allowing Abdaw Wahhab …"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Jun 20, 2025 (1 day before fight)
Mohammed Usman

The MMA Guru picks Mohammed Usman as an underdog, calling Hamdy Abdelwahab 'absolute garbage' and a 'fat sack of garbage'. He believes the odds are skewed because Abdelwahab is undefeated, but sees the fight as 50/50. He expects Usman's reach advantage and better conditioning to allow him to outpoint Abdelwahab in the later rounds, predicting a 29-28 decision.

Fight goes to decision, Usman wins by decision 29-28
"I'm going to go with the underdog to start the card of Muhammad Usman here. I'm picking Muhammad Usman to win."
LOSS vs Thomas Petersen
Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27) R3 5:00 · UFC on ESPN: Lemos vs. Jandiroba · Jul 20, 2024
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Thomas Petersen 0 63 of 185 34% 63 of 185 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Mohammed Usman 0 76 of 138 55% 98 of 164 2 of 5 40% 0 0 1:01
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Thomas Petersen 0 22 of 50 44% 22 of 50 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Mohammed Usman 0 22 of 41 53% 24 of 43 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:03
2 Thomas Petersen 0 17 of 60 28% 17 of 60 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Mohammed Usman 0 25 of 45 55% 30 of 52 1 of 2 50% 0 0 0:36
3 Thomas Petersen 0 24 of 75 32% 24 of 75 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Mohammed Usman 0 29 of 52 55% 44 of 69 1 of 2 50% 0 0 0:22
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Thomas Petersen 63 of 185 34% 44 of 151 19 of 33 0 of 1 61 of 181 2 of 4 0 of 0
Mohammed Usman 76 of 138 55% 58 of 117 13 of 16 5 of 5 72 of 134 3 of 3 1 of 1
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Thomas Petersen 22 of 50 44% 18 of 44 4 of 6 0 of 0 20 of 46 2 of 4 0 of 0
Mohammed Usman 22 of 41 53% 13 of 32 6 of 6 3 of 3 20 of 39 2 of 2 0 of 0
2 Thomas Petersen 17 of 60 28% 9 of 46 8 of 13 0 of 1 17 of 60 0 of 0 0 of 0
Mohammed Usman 25 of 45 55% 20 of 37 4 of 7 1 of 1 24 of 44 1 of 1 0 of 0
3 Thomas Petersen 24 of 75 32% 17 of 61 7 of 14 0 of 0 24 of 75 0 of 0 0 of 0
Mohammed Usman 29 of 52 55% 25 of 48 3 of 3 1 of 1 28 of 51 0 of 0 1 of 1
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Lean picked Jul 14, 2024 (6 days before fight)
Mohammed Usman

Angelo picks Mohammed Usman because he is the larger, more physically imposing fighter with a brick for a head and decent power. He notes that neither fighter is very good or entertaining, and that Usman's takedown defense should hold up against Petersen's wrestling. However, he explicitly says he cannot bet on low-level heavyweight fights, so this is a lean with no stake.

"The pick is going to be Usman though he is physically imposing he's the much larger human being here he should be able to defend some of those takedowns"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Lean picked Jul 17, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Thomas Petersen

Cody picks Petersen, noting his youth (29) and wrestling pedigree. He thinks if Petersen can get takedowns, he can control Usman. He admits Usman has better striking and cardio but believes Petersen's southpaw stance and sophomore improvement could be factors. He calls it a dogger pass situation and sides with the underdog.

"I'm going Thomas Pon."
DA
Daniel Vreeland Expert Confident picked Jul 17, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Mohammed Usman

Daniel Vreeland picks Mohammed Usman, noting his improvements and ability to last three rounds. He believes Usman can defend takedowns and tire out Petersen, who gasses when his takedown game fails. Vreeland expects Usman to take over late in the fight.

"I'm gonna go with Mo Usman to win this fight"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Lean picked Jul 17, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Thomas Petersen

Petersen is a slight dog at +110. He has a wrestling-heavy approach but needs to improve his striking to avoid being picked apart. Usman is not as crisp a striker as Jamal Pogues, which could allow Petersen to have more success with his wrestling. Petersen's pressure and pace should wear down Usman around the 6-minute mark, leading to a decision win. However, I need to see improvements in Petersen's striking before I'm confident enough to invest heavily.

"I need to seal the improvements in play for Peterson especially with the Striking before I can be confident enough in investing in him but as a slight dog I do think he actually ends up pulling off this uh …"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Jul 17, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Mohammed Usman

Paul picks Usman, citing his wrestling background, takedown defense (never taken down in UFC), and better striking. He thinks Petersen's wrestling won't be effective and that Usman will edge a decision or get a late finish. He calls the line very playable.

"I think it's Usman all day."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Jul 16, 2024 (4 days before fight)
Mohammed Usman

The MMA Guru picks Mohammed Usman over Thomas Petersen, calling Petersen 'garbage' and a 'fat dum dum'. He notes Usman has knockout power and is more technical, with better conditioning and athleticism. He dismisses Petersen's size and recent loss to Jamal Poges, concluding Usman should win easily.

"Mo Usman should win this fight he's more technical he's got better conditioning he's a better athlete more power he's better than Thomas Peterson"
LOSS vs Mick Parkin
Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) R3 5:00 · UFC on ESPN: Ribas vs. Namajunas · Mar 23, 2024
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Mick Parkin 0 57 of 167 34% 57 of 168 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Mohammed Usman 0 72 of 150 48% 72 of 150 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Mick Parkin 0 15 of 48 31% 15 of 48 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Mohammed Usman 0 16 of 40 40% 16 of 40 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Mick Parkin 0 18 of 51 35% 18 of 51 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Mohammed Usman 0 20 of 41 48% 20 of 41 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
3 Mick Parkin 0 24 of 68 35% 24 of 69 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Mohammed Usman 0 36 of 69 52% 36 of 69 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Mick Parkin 57 of 167 34% 26 of 114 30 of 52 1 of 1 57 of 167 0 of 0 0 of 0
Mohammed Usman 72 of 150 48% 37 of 109 4 of 4 31 of 37 71 of 149 1 of 1 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Mick Parkin 15 of 48 31% 11 of 39 4 of 9 0 of 0 15 of 48 0 of 0 0 of 0
Mohammed Usman 16 of 40 40% 6 of 27 0 of 0 10 of 13 16 of 40 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Mick Parkin 18 of 51 35% 5 of 32 12 of 18 1 of 1 18 of 51 0 of 0 0 of 0
Mohammed Usman 20 of 41 48% 9 of 27 2 of 2 9 of 12 20 of 41 0 of 0 0 of 0
3 Mick Parkin 24 of 68 35% 10 of 43 14 of 25 0 of 0 24 of 68 0 of 0 0 of 0
Mohammed Usman 36 of 69 52% 22 of 55 2 of 2 12 of 12 35 of 68 1 of 1 0 of 0
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Mar 17, 2024 (6 days before fight)
Mick Parkin

Angelo picks Mick Parkin because he is the more technical fighter with sharper striking and slightly better takedowns. He expects a boring, slow, sloppy heavyweight decision, possibly with a stoppage from Parkin via takedown and ground control. He will stay away from betting unless the over 1.5 rounds line is available, which he would hammer.

over 1.5 rounds if available
"Mick is going to be the pick here I'm going to stay away from this unless we get a very lucky one and a half round line hopefully The Bookies say ah they're heavyweights one and a half then we'll …"
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Mar 19, 2024 (4 days before fight)
Mick Parkin

Big Brady picks Mick Parkin, believing the fight will primarily be standing. He notes Parkin's striking looked good in his debut but was inconsistent against Kyle Machado. He thinks Parkin will land more strikes at range, while Usman has low volume and relies on power. Brady doubts Usman can knock out Parkin and expects a decision win for Parkin.

"I'm more so on the mick Parkin side... I'm taking Mick Park in here I'm taking to win this fight by decision"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Mar 21, 2024 (2 days before fight)
Mick Parkin

Cody picks Parkin, citing his size, mobility, and superior boxing. He criticizes Usman's low output and lack of power. Cody believes Parkin will outwork Usman and win a decision.

"Mick Parkin is going to find a way to just at work him."
DA
Daniel Vreeland Expert Lean picked Mar 20, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Mohammed Usman

Daniel Vreeland leans toward Mohammed Usman, admiring his ability to find a way to win even in ugly fights. He notes Usman has power and wrestling, and can take Parkin down. He thinks Parkin is the cleaner striker but Usman's physicality and grit could carry him.

"I'm gonna lean towards the dog here"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Mar 19, 2024 (4 days before fight)
Mick Parkin

Parkin has a great gas tank for a heavyweight, good output, and excellent scrambling ability. He will pressure Usman, who has a low-volume kickboxing style and tends to slow down late. Parkin can win by decision or even snatch a late submission, as Usman has been submitted before. Usman's only path is a flash KO, but Parkin should control the fight.

Round 3 submission at +3000
"I think Parkin is absolutely capable of doing that once again here and I think that we can see Parkin either cruise to a decision or I think he actually does snatch up a submission late in this fight which …"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Lean picked Mar 21, 2024 (2 days before fight)
Mick Parkin

Paul picks Parkin, noting his training with Tom Aspinall and his ability to go the distance. He acknowledges the line movement toward Usman but still favors Parkin's overall game.

"Parkin Parkin is the pick for me as well."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Mar 19, 2024 (4 days before fight)
Mohammed Usman

The MMA Guru picks Mohammed Usman over Mick Parkin, citing Parkin's poor last performance where he arguably lost and looked bad. He believes Usman's athleticism and wrestling will wear on Parkin as the fight goes on, with Usman landing takedowns in rounds two and three. He notes Parkin's eye swelling in his last fight and thinks Usman's power and pressure will be too much. He predicts a decision win for Usman.

decision win
"I'm actually gonna go with Muhammad Usman over Mick Parkin... I think mosman's going to be able to wear on Mick Parkin as the fight goes on... by decision"
WIN vs Jake Collier
Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 29–28, 29–28) R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Fiziev vs. Gamrot · Sep 23, 2023
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Mohammed Usman 0 85 of 191 44% 118 of 234 1 of 3 33% 0 0 3:07
Jake Collier 0 87 of 183 47% 100 of 198 0 of 0 --- 2 0 0:53
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Mohammed Usman 0 32 of 72 44% 34 of 74 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Jake Collier 0 41 of 89 46% 41 of 89 0 of 0 --- 1 0 0:49
2 Mohammed Usman 0 36 of 85 42% 37 of 87 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Jake Collier 0 34 of 68 50% 34 of 68 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:04
3 Mohammed Usman 0 17 of 34 50% 47 of 73 1 of 2 50% 0 0 3:07
Jake Collier 0 12 of 26 46% 25 of 41 0 of 0 --- 1 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Mohammed Usman 85 of 191 44% 58 of 156 27 of 35 0 of 0 83 of 186 1 of 3 1 of 2
Jake Collier 87 of 183 47% 53 of 145 22 of 25 12 of 13 80 of 171 7 of 12 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Mohammed Usman 32 of 72 44% 26 of 60 6 of 12 0 of 0 31 of 69 1 of 3 0 of 0
Jake Collier 41 of 89 46% 25 of 71 11 of 13 5 of 5 35 of 79 6 of 10 0 of 0
2 Mohammed Usman 36 of 85 42% 22 of 71 14 of 14 0 of 0 36 of 85 0 of 0 0 of 0
Jake Collier 34 of 68 50% 17 of 49 11 of 12 6 of 7 33 of 66 1 of 2 0 of 0
3 Mohammed Usman 17 of 34 50% 10 of 25 7 of 9 0 of 0 16 of 32 0 of 0 1 of 2
Jake Collier 12 of 26 46% 11 of 25 0 of 0 1 of 1 12 of 26 0 of 0 0 of 0
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Lean picked Sep 17, 2023 (6 days before fight)
Mohammed Usman

Angelo picks Usman due to size and speed advantage, but notes Collier has a great chin, busy jab, and more experience. He thinks Collier could win a close decision. He is not confident and only considers betting the over 1.5 rounds if available.

over 1.5 rounds (if line becomes available)
"the pick's gonna be Usman because of the side and speed difference but the only bet I would even consider here is if we get lucky enough to get a one and a half round line"
BI
Big Brady Expert Lean picked Sep 21, 2023 (2 days before fight)
Jake Collier

Big Brady picks Jake Collier with low confidence, calling the fight a mess. He notes Collier is the better striker by far, has a wrestling background, and appears to be in better shape after dropping weight. He worries about Collier's grappling at heavyweight but believes he can stuff takedowns and keep the fight standing. He is not betting this fight.

"I'm gonna pick Collier here you know this fight is um a greasy fight for sure"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Lean picked Sep 20, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Jake Collier

Cody picks Jake Collier as a live underdog, citing his volume and speed advantage if his cardio holds. He notes Usman's low output and stiffness. He is encouraged by Collier looking trimmer on social media and thinks if Collier can last past the first round, he wins.

"I will take Collier plus 115 that I would feel way better on Friday if we see him touch the scales and look decent."
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Confident picked Sep 21, 2023 (2 days before fight)
Mohammed Usman

Daniel picks Usman confidently, comparing Collier to Jared Vandera as a fan-favorite who loses. He notes Collier is 2-5 at heavyweight and was finished by Chris Barnett. He thinks Usman's physicality and takedowns will be too much, and Collier has never faced a takedown attempt at heavyweight. He expects Usman to control and possibly finish.

"I think Usman you know probably lands a couple takedowns it's probably ugly sloppy fight with Usman coming out on top"
LU
Lucrative James Expert Confident picked Sep 20, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Jake Collier

Lucrative James picks Collier, believing he should be favored. He notes Collier's high volume and finishing upside, while Usman lacks finishing ability. He thinks Collier can win by decision or finish, and sees value at plus 150. He acknowledges Collier's cardio issues but expects him to do enough early.

over 2.5 rounds -135 considered as standalone
"I like Jake Collier in this spot... I don't think he should be an underdog."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Sep 21, 2023 (2 days before fight)
Jake Collier

The host picks Collier as a live underdog, expecting the best version of him given his improved shape and urgency. He notes Collier has advantages in combination striking and volume, and that Usman is a low-volume kickboxer who may struggle if he can't grapple. He predicts a decision win for Collier and also likes the over 2.5 rounds prop.

over 2.5 rounds
"give me Jake Collier to pull off a decision victory"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Lean picked Sep 20, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Jake Collier

Paul sides with Collier at plus money, noting Usman's low volume (7 significant strikes in his last fight). He thinks Collier's experience and volume will be too much if he doesn't gas. He mentions Collier's takedown defense against Buday.

"I'm gonna I'm siding with you with uh plus 150 and there are plus 130s out there to be had on Jake Collier."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Sep 19, 2023 (4 days before fight)
Mohammed Usman

The MMA Guru picks Mohammed Usman, criticizing Jake Collier as a 'morbidly obese middleweight' who no longer cares. He praises Usman's athleticism, knockout power, and commitment, noting he is on a two-fight win streak and won The Ultimate Fighter. He acknowledges Collier's decent hands but believes Usman's wrestling and power will be too much. He mentions Collier could catch him as an underdog but ultimately favors Usman's style.

"I'm gonna go mooseman there was a part of me that wanted to say you know what Jake Collier might Rock him but tougher's pretty good and Usman did survive him..."
WIN vs Junior Tafa
Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Pavlovich vs. Blaydes · Apr 22, 2023
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Mohammed Usman 0 7 of 29 24% 79 of 133 2 of 12 16% 0 0 12:03
Junior Tafa 0 22 of 61 36% 37 of 78 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Mohammed Usman 0 1 of 12 8% 16 of 36 0 of 4 0% 0 0 3:26
Junior Tafa 0 8 of 24 33% 11 of 28 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Mohammed Usman 0 4 of 12 33% 38 of 59 1 of 5 20% 0 0 4:09
Junior Tafa 0 6 of 18 33% 13 of 25 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
3 Mohammed Usman 0 2 of 5 40% 25 of 38 1 of 3 33% 0 0 4:28
Junior Tafa 0 8 of 19 42% 13 of 25 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Mohammed Usman 7 of 29 24% 6 of 28 1 of 1 0 of 0 2 of 22 2 of 2 3 of 5
Junior Tafa 22 of 61 36% 17 of 55 5 of 6 0 of 0 12 of 45 10 of 16 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Mohammed Usman 1 of 12 8% 1 of 12 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 11 1 of 1 0 of 0
Junior Tafa 8 of 24 33% 6 of 22 2 of 2 0 of 0 5 of 20 3 of 4 0 of 0
2 Mohammed Usman 4 of 12 33% 3 of 11 1 of 1 0 of 0 1 of 7 1 of 1 2 of 4
Junior Tafa 6 of 18 33% 4 of 16 2 of 2 0 of 0 5 of 15 1 of 3 0 of 0
3 Mohammed Usman 2 of 5 40% 2 of 5 0 of 0 0 of 0 1 of 4 0 of 0 1 of 1
Junior Tafa 8 of 19 42% 7 of 17 1 of 2 0 of 0 2 of 10 6 of 9 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Junior Tafa vs. Mohammed Usman
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Tafa (-115), Usman (-105)

Round 1
Up now, heavyweights take center stage, when two brothers of more established UFC competitors come to blows. Tachi Palace Fights vet Usman (8-2, 1-0 UFC) aims to go 2-0 in the promotion, while “The Juggernaut” Tafa (4-0, 0-0 UFC) would like nothing more than to keep his 100% knockout rate intact. It’s high alert for referee Mark Smith, as the likelihood that this reaches the scorecards is low. Fists are tapped, and Usman moves to lead the dance immediately. Tafa is comfortable putting his back against the wall, but they are extremely respectful of the other’s power as they do not trade a strike in the first 35 seconds. Tafa finally reaches Usman with a left hand, and he tosses out a front kick to draw an exaggerated, energetic charging double-leg takedown attempt. Tafa gets pushed back to the wire, and he looks to fight out of this position by framing his elbow on Usman’s face. “The Motor” stalls as he pushes the Kiwi out of Australia up against the fencing, holding him there without bothering to swing a single strike. Smith asks Usman to work as they pummel for underhooks, and Usman gets a knee off to the body while searching for a better posture. Tafa briefly turns him out, and they spin one another around. Tafa releases a high knee that glances off the side of the head, and Usman drops to a knee and tries for another takedown. Tafa grabs the top of the cage to stay afloat, and Usman squeezes him tightly like he is trying to make play-do shapes out of his back. Tafa gets just enough space to unload a combination of punches, and Usman gets staggered and wobbles back. Tafa swings everything he has into his punches, and Usman is on ice skates as he backs off. Tafa misses with some massive hooks, lands with others, and reaches Usman with a head kick. The round ends before Tafa can completely hammer the nail.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Tafa
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Tafa
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Tafa

Round 2
The heavyweights have reached Round 2, and Usman is light on his feet as he tries to get them completely beneath him. Tafa slowly walks him down instead of swinging for the bleachers, and he aims an uppercut to just miss the mark of a shooting Usman. Tafa drops his hands and starts throwing bungalows, and Usman takes several on the chin and wobbles back, stung again from the blows. Usman tries to connect with a short right hook, and settles for a single-leg entry. The Kiwi considers elbowing Usman on the side of the head like Travis Brown to Josh Barnett, but he stops throwing them to keep his balance. Usman gains the upper hand, and he elevates Tafa and dumps him to the floor. Usman smothers his man in half guard when he jumps on top, much more interested than position than a dropping a few feeble hammerfists. Tafa lays flat on his back, seemingly disappointed and totally unable to buck off or move to get “The Motor” off of him. Usman slowly scoots his way to a better offensive posture while still in half guard, but his strikes have practically nothing on them as he seems to be heavily fatigued. Usman sits up and drives a few punches to the body to better effect, as he remains chest-to-chest to keep Tafa down. The round ends with Usman throwing a few labored punches.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Usman
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Usman
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Usman

Round 3
The heavyweights come out lumbering from their corners, and Tafa is the aggressor to start with a few winging punches. Usman jams him up with an attempted tackle, and he smushes Tafa into the chain-link fence. Using the remaining energy he has, Usman lifts Tafa up in the air and deposits him gingerly to the floor, where he steps over to half guard. Tafa leans up against the fence to try to wall-walk or at least be in a less disadvantageous position, but Usman is fully equipped to ruin the rest of his day with his wrestling. Usman holds on from above with his chest pinning Tafa to the mat, and Tafa starts talking to him to try to inspire some different approach. “The Motor” ignores him, hanging on from above in grueling, exhausting fashion, and he decides against taking mount so that he can keep Tafa pinned. With the last vestiges of his gas, Tafa bursts to his knees with 45 seconds to spare, and he walks up the wall. Usman doggedly pursues a single to put him back down, and time is Tafa’s greatest enemy right now as Usman controls him. Tafa elbows his man on the side of the head, and he pushes Usman back to belt him with a few punches. “The Juggernaut” charges at the spent Usman, unleashing everything he has left, but it is not enough before time expires to conclude the heavyweight slog.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Usman (29-28 Usman)
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Usman (29-28 Usman)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Usman (29-28 Usman)

The Official Result
Mohammad Usman def. Junior Tafa via Unanimous Decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Hesitant picked Apr 16, 2023 (6 days before fight)
Junior Tafa

Angelo picks Junior Tafa but is hesitant, calling it a sketchy pick. He notes Tafa's power, speed, and technical kickboxing, but questions his takedown defense. He bet $25 on Tafa at -195 as an experiment based on line movement (Tafa opened as underdog, now favorite). He acknowledges the risk and advises not to blindly tail.

Bet $25 at -195 as an experiment based on line movement tracker.
"The official pick is going to be junior taffa it is a sketchy pick the odds are a little wide but I'm riding with the line movement tracker."
BI
Big Brady Expert Hesitant picked Apr 18, 2023 (4 days before fight)
Mohammed Usman

Big Brady picks Mohammad Usman to win by a greasy decision, but he wants nothing to do with this fight from a betting perspective. He notes that Usman's path to victory is to wrestle and take the fight to the mat, as Tafa is a much better striker but has questionable takedown defense and cardio. However, Brady is not confident in Usman, calling him 'very bad' and noting he got lucky in his last fight. He also mentions the wild line movement but stayed away from betting it.

staying away from betting
"I'm going to take Muhammad Usman to make this ugly take this fight down to the mat consistently and win a a greasy decision here but I want nothing to do with this fight to be honest so staying away"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Apr 19, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Junior Tafa

Cody picks Tafa, calling him a world-class kickboxer while Usman is not good. He criticizes Usman's wrestling, cardio, and tendency to rely on one-punch power. Cody notes Usman's wins on The Ultimate Fighter were close and he struggled against older competition. He believes Tafa will win by knockout if the fight stays standing, which is likely.

"I'm actually going to agree 100 so when you look at Junior tawfo versus Justin tapa Junior was always a credible kickboxer of the family right"
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Lean picked Apr 20, 2023 (2 days before fight)
Mohammed Usman

Connor picks Mohammed Usman, reasoning that Usman is much bigger and stronger than Tafa, and that neither fighter is likely to get knocked out. He expects a wild brawl for five minutes followed by a slog, and thinks Usman's size will allow him to hold Tafa enough to win. Connor notes that Usman hits like a truck and has never been knocked out.

"I'm going to pick Tafa or I'm going to pick Usman rather to just be able to hold them enough to win."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Apr 17, 2023 (5 days before fight)
Mohammed Usman

Mohammad Usman has a massive experience advantage over Junior Tafa, who has less than a year of MMA experience. Usman is a mediocre fighter but has fought higher-level competition. Tafa is a raw kickboxer with poor takedown defense, as seen in his regional fights. Usman should be able to take the fight to the ground and grind out a decision or TKO. The odds have moved significantly in Tafa's favor, but Usman's MMA experience should prevail.

Usman by decision or TKO from top position
"I'm gonna go Mohammed Usman here Muhammad by decision maybe even by TKO from that top position"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Apr 19, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Junior Tafa

Paul also picks Tafa, agreeing with Cody. He notes that if Usman doesn't shoot for takedowns, Tafa will likely clip him. Paul acknowledges the risk that Usman could use wrestling, but doubts he will. He calls it a low-level heavyweight fight where anything can happen.

"I'm gonna be siding with Junior taffa with you"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Apr 18, 2023 (4 days before fight)
Junior Tafa

The MMA Guru picks Junior Tafa, going against Mohammad Usman. He sees no skill in Usman's game and notes Tafa's combat sports experience in boxing, kickboxing, and Muay Thai. He thinks Tafa's activity and momentum are advantages, and that Usman is unimpressive with losses to Brandon Sales and a split decision over Eduardo Perez. He predicts a first-round KO.

KO in the first round
"I'm gonna go against mooseman okay I'm gonna go against him because I just I don't see skill in his game and Junior tougher... I'm gonna go Junior tough I'll get in the first round KO"
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Lean picked Apr 20, 2023 (2 days before fight)
Mohammed Usman

Zane also picks Mohammed Usman, but with low confidence, calling it a coin flip. He notes that Usman is stiff and disconnected but hits hard, while Tafa is a wild combination puncher who gasses. Zane thinks the fight will be a mess and that Usman's size advantage might be the deciding factor.

"I flip a goddamn coin. Usman just cause he's so much, he's clearly much bigger Tafa."
WIN vs Zac Pauga
KO (punches) R2 0:36 · UFC on ESPN: Santos vs. Hill · Aug 06, 2022
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Mohammed Usman 1 12 of 40 30% 13 of 41 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:02
Zac Pauga 0 32 of 50 64% 33 of 51 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Mohammed Usman 0 9 of 35 25% 10 of 36 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Zac Pauga 0 31 of 46 67% 32 of 47 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Mohammed Usman 1 3 of 5 60% 3 of 5 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:02
Zac Pauga 0 1 of 4 25% 1 of 4 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Mohammed Usman 12 of 40 30% 11 of 39 1 of 1 0 of 0 9 of 35 1 of 2 2 of 3
Zac Pauga 32 of 50 64% 14 of 29 9 of 10 9 of 11 31 of 49 1 of 1 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Mohammed Usman 9 of 35 25% 8 of 34 1 of 1 0 of 0 8 of 32 1 of 2 0 of 1
Zac Pauga 31 of 46 67% 14 of 26 8 of 9 9 of 11 30 of 45 1 of 1 0 of 0
2 Mohammed Usman 3 of 5 60% 3 of 5 0 of 0 0 of 0 1 of 3 0 of 0 2 of 2
Zac Pauga 1 of 4 25% 0 of 3 1 of 1 0 of 0 1 of 4 0 of 0 0 of 0
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Lean picked Jul 31, 2022 (6 days before fight)
Mohammed Usman

Angelo has a slight lean towards Mohammed Usman due to his size, power, and physicality. He notes that Pauga is the better overall fighter but his size disadvantage at heavyweight could be decisive. He references Pauga being dropped by Terence Jacquez and believes a similar shot from Usman could finish him. However, he acknowledges Usman has had issues with wrestlers in the past.

"I think it's a very slight very slight lean towards usman with the incredible power and the phys physicality"
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Aug 2, 2022 (4 days before fight)
Zac Pauga

Big Brady picks Zac Pauga, noting his speed and cardio advantages over Mohammed Usman. He criticizes Usman's low volume and poor cardio, and praises Pauga's takedown defense and improved striking. He predicts Pauga will stuff takedowns and win a decision, though he notes Pauga is undersized for heavyweight. He also mentions Pauga's training at Elevation Fight Team with Curtis Blaydes.

decision win prediction
"i still think zach powell should win this fight and win it by decision stuffing the takedowns if they come"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Aug 3, 2022 (3 days before fight)
Zac Pauga

Cody also picks Pauga, highlighting his undefeated record and clean performances on TUF. He notes that Pauga is a natural 205-pounder who moved up for the show and will likely move back down. Cody contrasts Pauga's refined skills with Usman's poor losses and questionable wins, including a controversial decision. He believes Pauga's speed and output will overwhelm Usman.

"I got to agree with Zach Pauga being the pick... he looked really good on the ultimate fighter... he never gets touched once."
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Aug 3, 2022 (3 days before fight)
Zac Pauga

Paul picks Pauga, noting that Pauga is a former football player with good mobility and athleticism. He mentions that Pauga looked impressive on The Ultimate Fighter, throwing spinning attacks and showing improvement. Paul is wary of laying -250 on a debuting heavyweight but sees Pauga as the clear pick.

"Zach Pauga is clearly the pick for me... he looks pretty mobile on his feet... he's like throwing spin and stuff."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Aug 1, 2022 (5 days before fight)
Zac Pauga

The MMA Guru picks Zac Pauga by third-round ground-and-pound TKO. He praises Pauga's technique and undefeated record, and criticizes Mohammed Usman's lack of commitment and poor performances. He believes Pauga's Samoan chin will allow him to take shots and break Usman down.

third round ground and pound tko
"i'm going to go zack pwaga... i'm going to see the samoan guy take a couple of big shots early put the pressure on mohammed usman and break him down"
Expert Picks (4)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Hesitant picked Jun 20, 2025 (1 day before fight)
Hamdy Abdelwahab

Angelo picks Hamdy Abdelwahab but with significant reservations. He notes that Hamdy is an Olympic wrestler but has looked sloppy, gasses easily, and hasn't shown good cardio. He mentions that Mohammed Usman is big and athletic but may not be fully committed, citing an interview where his brother said he's on the fence about continuing. Angelo ultimately fades both for fantasy but picks Hamdy due to the potential for takedowns if Usman is not prepared.

Fading both for fantasy; mentions Hamdy's potential for high scoring if he uses wrestling but doubts it.
"I'm picked Hamdi because while Muhammad Usman is big and he's athletic and he does have some raw power, we've seen it and he doesn't gas nearly as quickly as Hamdi does."
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Jun 18, 2025 (3 days before fight)
Hamdy Abdelwahab

Big Brady picks Hamdy Abdelwahab but is not excited about the fight. He expects Abdelwahab to get a takedown in the first round, gas out, and then the fight becomes a low-volume affair going to decision. He thinks Abdelwahab clearly lost his last fight but will get the nod from judges. He predicts Abdelwahab by decision and says he will look to fade him in the future.

decision, fade in the future
"Give me Hamdy. Hamdy to win by decision."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Hesitant picked Jun 19, 2025 (2 days before fight)
Hamdy Abdelwahab

The host is not a big believer in Abdelwahab but thinks Usman is not good either. He expects Abdelwahab's aggressiveness and wrestling threat to keep Usman moving backward, allowing Abdelwahab to grind out a decision win.

"I'm not a big Abdul Wahab believer, but Usman is not that good either. I think the aggressiveness and a possible wrestling threat of Abdul Wahab will keep Usman moving back backward and eating some big shots allowing Abdaw Wahhab to grind this fight out and win it on the …"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Jun 20, 2025 (1 day before fight)
Mohammed Usman

The MMA Guru picks Mohammed Usman as an underdog, calling Hamdy Abdelwahab 'absolute garbage' and a 'fat sack of garbage'. He believes the odds are skewed because Abdelwahab is undefeated, but sees the fight as 50/50. He expects Usman's reach advantage and better conditioning to allow him to outpoint Abdelwahab in the later rounds, predicting a 29-28 decision.

Fight goes to decision, Usman wins by decision 29-28
"I'm going to go with the underdog to start the card of Muhammad Usman here. I'm picking Muhammad Usman to win."