Usman Nurmagomedov to decide on next promotion soon, says cousin Khabib
PFL lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov, now a free agent, will determine his future league within the next month, according to his cousin and coach Khabib Nurmagomedov.
Usman Nurmagomedov, the 28-year-old PFL lightweight world champion, announced his free-agent status after a first-round knockout of Archie Colgan in New York, the final bout of his current contract. The undefeated Russian, who has a 22-0 record, is expected to choose between staying with the PFL, which recently merged with Most Valuable Promotions, or moving to the UFC.
Khabib Nurmagomedov, Usman's cousin and coach, posted on Instagram that negotiations about his nephew’s next move will take place over the next month. > "Usman has shown and proven over the last couple of years that he is the best lightweight outside the UFC. Not with words, but with his performances," he wrote.
After the fight, Usman asked MVP co-owner Jake Paul for a bonus, to which Paul replied that a future knockout would earn him a car. In the post-fight interview, Nurmagomedov referenced ongoing criticism of UFC president Dana White, saying the organization would soon see how they handle fighter pay.
White responded with a brief, amused "sure" when asked about the possibility of signing Nurmagomedov. The fighter’s decision is expected to be announced within the coming weeks.