Prediction: Hamdy Abdelwahab via Decision
Both guys aren’t going to win any technical striking awards, let’s keep it real. They’re a little wild, a little stiff, and most of the damage comes when they’re chucking heavy leather inside a phone booth. But that’s where Hamdy shines — inside the pocket, where his raw power and willingness to trade starts to separate him from Usman.
Usman does his best work at range, where he can stay composed, touch with the jab, and try to mix in some occasional level changes. But when the fight gets grimy and he’s forced to stand his ground, you see it — he tightens up, slows down, and gets hesitant. He doesn’t like getting hit, and that’s something you can’t really teach out of a fighter. There’s a moment in all of his fights where he kind of freezes when things don’t go his way. That’s not something you want when you’re facing a guy like Hamdy, who’s the exact opposite.
Hamdy Abdelwahab? Certified dog. The man bites down, closes distance like a freight train, and throws bombs like he’s trying to knock the cage down. It might not be clean, but it’s violent. And when he lands, it hurts. His striking isn’t sharp, but he’s not afraid to get in there and make it a fight — and at heavyweight, sometimes that’s the biggest difference.
And then there’s the wrestling. This is where Hamdy really pulls ahead. He’s an Olympic-level Greco-Roman wrestler — literally repped Egypt at the 2016 Olympics. That means elite-level clinch work, heavy hips, and takedown defense that can shut down most heavyweight-level grappling. Usman has decent wrestling himself, but when it comes to actual credentials and feel for the mat? It’s not even close. Hamdy knows how to win grappling exchanges, and he knows how to use them to break momentum or steal rounds.
Bottom line: Hamdy has the better wrestling, the heavier hands in close range, and — maybe most importantly — the mindset to walk through adversity and keep throwing. Usman needs the fight to stay controlled and clean to win. Hamdy thrives in chaos. That’s why he’s the side here.