Nigeria's Mohammed Usman defeats Hamdy Abdelwahab in Azerbaijan

Nigeria's Mohammed Usman emerged victorious against Egypt's Hamdy Abdelwahab in a closely contested heavyweight bout at UFC Fight Night in Baku, Azerbaijan.

In a landmark event for mixed martial arts Usman returned to the win column and became the first fighter to secure a UFC victory in Azerbaijan.

The fight, which unfolded over three rounds, saw Usman initially grappling with Abdelwahab's early explosiveness.

Despite Abdelwahab's formidable wrestling background and Olympic experience, Usman's ability to maintain a steady pace in the later rounds that proved decisive.

The judges unanimously scored the bout 29-28 in favor of Usman after three round of action.

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This victory is particularly significant for Usman, who had faced back-to-back unanimous decision losses prior to this fight.

The win boosts Usman's standing in the UFC heavyweight division as he overcame adversity through in-fight adjustments.

Usman celebrated the victory with a statement that said, "Today was a blessing to compete on the grandest fighting stage @ufc.

"Each walk I learn more about myself and step into the Fighter I know I could be.

"I dug deep today and tapped into something I knew I always had in me!.

"Big thanks to everybody that was there with me every step of the way GOD IS GOOD ALL THE TIME 🔐🇳🇬 NAJIA WE ARE BACK."

It comes after his older brother, Kamaru Usman, defeated Joaquin Buckley on his UFC return.