‘Dancing With The Stars’ Season 30 Cast: Athlete Expresses Desire After ‘Bachelor’ Controversy

Another potential celebrity contestant is tossing their name into the consideration pool for Season 30 of “Dancing With the Stars,” after another show they expressed interest in became mired in controversy.

Kamaru Usman, a UFC fighter known as “The Nigerian Nightmare” who is the current Welterweight Champion, told TMZ he would be up to trying out the dance floor on the ABC competition series after he had previously commented he would like to be the first Black star of “The Bachelor,” a job that was given to Matt James for the current season. However, with the controversy that has also erupted around his season, after his projected winner, Rachael Kirkconnell, was called out for past racist behavior, and host Chris Harrison was forced to step down after initially defending her, Usman has seemed to change his mind.

“It’s a tough one now because with the controversy going on, now it kinda soils the name, ya know?” he told TMZ Sports.

However, the controversy there hasn’t dampened his spirits or what he feels about potentially doing ‘Dancing With the Stars.”

“I do my thing! I do my thing! That’s the thing with me, I understand that practice makes perfect and I’m disciplined enough to be able to train at it,” he said. “So anything, if I need to work at it, do the moves, learn ‘em, boom! I’m in there! I can get it down.”

If Usman does join the show’s cast for Season 30—which hasn’t been officially announced by ABC—he would be the third-ever UFC fighter on the show and would have big shoes to fill. While Chuck Liddell was eliminated earlier in Season 9 and placed 11th, Paige VanZant went on to place second in the show’s 22nd season.

Usman isn’t the first celebrity who has also reportedly expressed interest in signing on for the next season of the show. Recent “Bachelorette” Tayshia Adams and Hilaria Baldwin have allegedly thrown their names in the ring as well, while some producers are reportedly looking into seeing if they can convince former Trump Advisor Kellyanne Conway to come on the show to fill the role of a controversial contestant.

Previous controversial contestants have included “Tiger King” star Carole Baskin, who was quickly eliminated from Season 29, and former Trump Press Secretary Sean Spicer, who came in 6th place during Season 28.

“Dancing With the Stars” Season 30 is expected to air this Fall on ABC.