Mohammed Usman will face Mick Parkin in a heavyweight contest set, for UFC Vegas 89 at The Apex on March 23rd.
The pair are unbeaten since signing with the promotion back in 2022 and will be looking to push on and crack their way into the rankings at the earliest opportunity.
Parkin entered the UFC on the back of a slick first round submission victory against Eduardo Neves on the 2022 season of Dana White’s Contender Series. However, He would have to wait almost a year before he made the walk to The Octagon for the first time. The chance for him to do so came in front of a home crowd at the O2 Arena on UFC Fight Night: Aspinall vs Tybura when he faced Jamal Pogues.
Parkin went the distance for the first time in his career but looked more than comfortable over the 15 minute bout and took the decision 30-27 on all three judges' scorecards. Parkin then made the trip Stateside for his American debut in the UFC Apex at UFC Fight Night: Allen vs Craig against Caio Machado.
Parkin picked up another first in his career, dropping a round for the first time in his 8 professional fights. Although the bout was short of any big action, the Sunderland man did enough to turn the tides and take the next two rounds on his way to a second consecutive unanimous decision win.
Mohammed ‘The Motor’ Usman spent four years on the domestic US scene before his first opportunity to compete for a major promotion arose in 2021 when he fought against Brandon Sayles on PFL in 2021. Usman lost by way of a second round rear naked choke.
He had a year away from the cage and returned in 2022 as one of the heavyweights to feature on The Ultimate Fighter Season 30. After two solid wins against Mitchell Sipe and Eduardo Perez, Usman earned his spot in the show's finale at UFC Fight Night: Santos vs Hill, where he faced the unbeaten Zac Pauga.
Both men came out swinging in the opening stanza, with Pauga landing numerous more significant strikes and using his speed advantage well. Just 30 seconds into the second round and the contest was turned entirely on its head when Usman caught Pauga with a huge left hook, knocking Pauga out cold. With that, Usman was crowned The Ultimate Fighter champion and joined his brother, Kamaru Usman, on the UFC roster.
‘The Motor’ made the walk twice in 2023, earning unanimous decision wins over rising star Junior Tafa and Jake Collier.
UFC Vegas 89 will be headlined with a Flyweight contest between number 8 ranked Amanda Ribas taking on Rose Namajunas and feature a host of familiar faces with the likes of Billy Quarantillo facing Gabriel Miranda, Ricardo Ramos taking on Julian Erosa and Parkin’s fellow North East native Davey Grant squaring off against Cody Gibson.
