Sodiq Yusuff: Nigerian MMA star set to shock the world at UFC 300

For most competitors, a six-month break between bouts is the norm, and for those who are still competing, it may seem like an eternity. However, Sodiq Yusuff is excited to be back in the ring this weekend at UFC 300 after a career full of lengthy layoffs.

When questioned about his relatively short recovery time before Saturday's preliminary card matchup with Diego Lopes, Yusuff expressed concern over the possibility of having shoulder surgery.

The 30-year-old featherweight, who was a standout in Dana White's Contender Series season two, has only made eight starts in his nearly six years on the roster and has only appeared once in three of the previous four years.

He missed a significant amount of time due to COVID-19 in 2020. After making a comeback in 2021, he went nearly a year without competing. He then managed to win twice in 2022 to regain some momentum, but had to miss another full year of competition due to two herniated discs in his back.

When Yusuff did finally return in October of last year, he was matched with seasoned player Edson Barboza for his first major event assignment. From the beginning of the competition, it appeared like everything would go according to plan and that he would win.

About thirty seconds into the fight, he had already laid waste to the veteran Brazilian, throwing him on the deck and hurting him with hard punches as he rushed for the finish.

He increased his pressure and kept making tremendous shots, but he was unable to stop the seasoned Barboza, and at the beginning of the second, the veteran started to recover.

Yusuff has only made eight trips to the Octagon, but his victories over Alex Caceres, Andre Fili, and Gabriel Benitez have kept him in the Top 15 for the past few years.

However, the going gets tougher when trying to move up into the rankings, and Yusuff is the kind of well-rounded, seasoned, and formidable opponent that should give Lopes problems.