Mohammed Usman wasn’t offering up a whole lot in his fight with Zac Pauga tonight at UFC On ESPN 40 until the moment he landed a counter left hook early in the second round that paved the way for a nasty knockout victory to join his brother Kamaru as a TUF winner.
Round One:
Jumping front kick to the face from Pauga. Usman is ok though. Pauga reaching out with the jab to the body a few times.
Pauga pressing forward with a brief flurry, but doesn’t connect. Inside leg kick. Now a superman punch.
Pauga tries for a head kick, but Usman just steers clear of it as he closes the distance. Back to striking range they go though.
Usman with a swing and a miss. Brief flurry from Usman without landing cleanly. Now a punch does land for him. Front kick to the body from Pauga.
Usman darts forward with a hook, but doesn’t connect. Missed superman punch from Pauga. Another big swing and a miss from Usman.
Head kick attempt from Pauga is blocked. Right hand gets through for Usman. Body kick from Pauga. Pauga jumps forward but eats a left hook from Usman.
Another missed hook from Usman. Pauga lands. Usman lunging forward for another hook as the round is drawing to a close and Pauga responds with a straight punch that may have landed just after the horn sounded, provoking an an angry response from Usman.
Round Two:
Missed high kick from Pauga. Pauga steps forward with a jab, but Usman counters with a left hook that topples him to the canvas, with two brutal and more than likely unnecessary hammerfists confirming the knockout victory at 0.36mins of the second round.
So that makes Usman the new TUF winner at heavyweight and afterwards he celebrates with his brother, welterweight champion Kamaru Usman, who is also a former winner of The Ultimate Fighter.
