Usman Nurmagomedov isn’t shy about what he believes he can do the moment he lands his next fight, wherever that ends up being.
Usman Nurmagomedov’s Message to the UFC Lightweight Division
“I don’t need a warm-up fight… I’ve got the experience. A five-round fight against any UFC fighter? No problem. Name a single fighter I should feel nervous about. Let them give me anyone they want. Arman, Justin, Oliveira, Holloway… who else. The entire top 10. I can beat the whole division,” Nurmagomedov said to Red Corner MMA.
The PFL lightweight champion, sitting at 22-0 with 16 finishes, added that he plans to make a decision on where he fights next by the end of October, giving a concrete timeline to what has otherwise been an open-ended free agency saga.
Usman Nurmagomedov’s Free Agency Status Explained
Usman Nurmagomedov officially became a free agent after finishing his PFL contract with a first-round knockout of Archie Colgan at PFL New York in August. Despite the open-market buzz, he isn’t free to sign elsewhere just yet. PFL holds a 90-day exclusive negotiation window before Nurmagomedov can field offers from other promotions, including the UFC, where he’s widely expected to end up given his ties to cousin Khabib Nurmagomedov and manager Ali Abdelaziz, who represents several top UFC fighters.
PFL CEO John Martin Pushes Back on UFC “Misinformation”
PFL CEO John Martin has publicly disputed the narrative that Usman Nurmagomedov’s UFC move is a done deal. Speaking on The Ariel Helwani Show, Martin insisted the UFC “cannot legally” make Nurmagomedov an offer while PFL’s exclusive window is active, calling talk of a done deal “misinformation.” Martin said PFL is preparing a competitive offer of its own, though Nurmagomedov has already turned down one contract worth a reported $2 million, holding out for a higher number.
With the 90-day window running its course and Nurmagomedov now setting his own October deadline, a decision on his next move appears to be approaching either way.
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