UFC featherweight Sodiq Yusuff, who is open to respectful direct messages, landed a voiceover role in a Disney animation project about a futuristic Nigeria after striking up a conversation with an animator who messaged him.
Sodiq Yusuff, UFC featherweight, is a rare breed. He’s one of the few fighters who actually respond to their DMs. But hey, there’s a catch. You gotta be respectful.
“If you’re cool and not trolling, I’m all ears,” Yusuff casually mentioned on The MMA Hour. Time permitting, of course.
Interestingly, this open-door policy paid off big time. Yusuff found himself in a virtual chit-chat with an animator. The topic? A futuristic Nigerian project.
Yusuff, a proud Nigerian and self-proclaimed “nerd,” was all ears. As the animator spilled more beans about the project, Yusuff’s interest piqued. The real kicker? The animator was working for Disney. Yusuff was all in.
“I always tell folks, especially budding athletes, about the countless rejections they’ll face,” Yusuff shared. He was in his kitchen, whipping up a post-fight meal. “All you need is one solid ‘yes’ to make a difference.”
Yusuff chased his ‘yes’ by DMing the animation company’s owner. Turns out, the owner was a UFC and Nigeria enthusiast.
“I ticked all his boxes,” Yusuff chuckled. “I’ve always been a nerd and I’d love to contribute to your project, no matter how small my role.”
This led to a voiceover gig for Yusuff. He nailed his three lines so well, they called him back for six episodes.
Yusuff’s DM strategy isn’t just about receiving, it’s also about reaching out. It’s his way of hustling for new opportunities.
“Now, I’m part of a Disney show,” he laughed. “My DMs are full of me taking chances at a million things. Sure, I get rejected a lot. But all it takes is a ‘yes’ every now and then.”
The animation project, Iwájú, is set in Lagos, Nigeria. It revolves around best friends Tola and Kole and their thrilling adventures. The show premiered on Disney+ on Feb. 28.
“In Yoruba [Yusuff’s native language], Iwájú means ‘in the future,'” Yusuff explained. “It’s about a futuristic Nigeria, and I play a character [Sunday Adelekan].”
Fighters aren’t typically natural actors. But Yusuff took it in his stride, just like he did when he play-fought Paul Felder on the HBO series “Hacks.”
“I fight people in my underwear for a living,” he quipped. “Even in acting classes, people get nervous. I feel like I’ve broken my nervous-meter.”
Recently, Yusuff scored another ‘yes’. This time, it was related to his primary career. He’s set to fight Diego Lopes at the UFC 300 event on April 13 in Las Vegas. He’s hoping to bounce back from a disappointing loss to Edson Barboza at UFC Vegas 81 last October.
Yusuff is training hard for his comeback. But in the meantime, he’s keeping an eye on his social media. You never know what might pop up.