Former UFC fighter Mohammed Usman has been removed from the upcoming Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA heavyweight tournament for undisclosed reasons, just days after signing with the promotion. Thiago Santos, a former UFC title challenger, will step in to face Guto Inocente in the opening round on April 10 in the Dominican Republic. The event marks the start of a $500,000 prize tournament streamed on YouTube.
Mohammed Usman was released from the UFC earlier this month following a 30-month suspension for breaching the promotion's anti-doping policy. Less than a week later, he signed with Jorge Masvidal's Gamebred Bareknuckle MMA for its heavyweight tournament opener on April 10 in the Dominican Republic. However, Usman was quickly removed from the card for undisclosed reasons, as reported by MMA Fighting.
Stepping in for Usman is Thiago Santos, a former UFC light heavyweight title challenger who lost a close split decision to Jon Jones in 2019. Santos concluded his UFC tenure with a 14-10 record after two losses in 2022. He then competed three times in the PFL without a win, with his last fight occurring in June 2024. A planned debut with GFL was canceled due to event issues.
Santos will face Guto Inocente, a fellow Brazilian and UFC veteran who fought twice in 2014, including a knockout loss to Derrick Lewis. Inocente later competed in GLORY and ONE Championship, showcasing his striking skills.
The April 10 event features bare-knuckle MMA bouts in the opening round of a 16-man heavyweight tournament with a $500,000 prize pool. The confirmed heavyweight matchups include Anthony Smith versus Chase Sherman, Guto Inocente versus Thiago Santos, Alexandr Romanov versus Nikolay Kovalenko, and Bruno Cappelozza versus Todd Duffee. The fights will be streamed live on Masvidal's YouTube channel. The tournament's second round is scheduled for May 1 in Miami.
Anthony Smith, another former UFC title challenger, is also on the card after reversing his retirement decision.
