Usman Nurmagomedov became a free agent on October 29. The unbeaten PFL lightweight champion let his former promotion’s exclusive negotiating window expire, clearing the path toward a possible deal with the UFC.
Dana White says the UFC is ready to talk
Speaking at UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi, Dana White confirmed the promotion had been waiting for this moment. “When his contract ends, we will start negotiations,” White said. The comment suggests formal talks have not yet begun, even though PFL’s exclusivity window has now closed. No agreement has been announced on either a signing or a first opponent.
The Topuria opening
Ali Abdelaziz, Nurmagomedov’s manager, has spent months pushing for a debut matchup against Ilia Topuria. In an August 2 post, he predicted his fighter “will stop Ilia Topuria within four rounds.” The former two-division champion is rebuilding his career after a knockout loss to Justin Gaethje, and a fight against an unbeaten champion from a rival promotion would draw immediate interest for both men. Nothing indicates the UFC has signed off on that matchup, which remains a request from the fighter’s camp rather than a confirmed plan. Topuria has not fought since the loss to Gaethje, and the promotion has not named a return date for him either.
A 90-day window closes
PFL’s 90-day exclusive window to match any competing offer closed on October 29, according to MMA Junkie. Nurmagomedov had already turned down a contract extension earlier this year, and confirmed in an August interview with Sport24 that he rejected a $2 million offer from the promotion. He can now negotiate freely with any organization, and the UFC is considered his most likely destination. No rival league has been mentioned in reporting so far, and no timeline has been given for a possible signing. The window mechanism is the same one PFL and Bellator used before their merger to try to retain top champions once a contract ran out.
An unbeaten run through two promotions
Nurmagomedov, 27, is 22-0 with one no-contest on his record. He joined Bellator in 2021 and won the lightweight title from Patricky Freire in November 2022. After the Bellator-PFL merger, he defended the belt under the PFL banner, beating Paul Hughes twice. He closed out his PFL contract in July with a first-round finish of Archie Colgan at PFL New York, following a submission win over Alfie Davis in February. The lightweight division is regularly described as one of the UFC’s deepest, which adds pressure to any potential arrival. His game, built on wrestling and submissions, contrasts with several current names in the division who lean more on striking. Both of his finishes this year came in the first round, against Davis by submission and against Colgan by knockout.
The family business
Nurmagomedov trains alongside his cousin Khabib Nurmagomedov, the retired, unbeaten former UFC lightweight champion who finished his career 29-0. In early August, Khabib already called him the best lightweight in the world outside the UFC, saying contract talks were expected within the following month. His brother Umar Nurmagomedov already competes in the UFC bantamweight division, and training partner Islam Makhachev holds the UFC welterweight title. Between them, Khabib, Umar and Usman Nurmagomedov have a combined record near 70 wins against a single loss. Ahead of the Colgan fight in July, Usman described himself as the most accomplished champion in Bellator and PFL history, calling the family legacy already secure and saying he is simply adding more wins to it.
Lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan called Nurmagomedov “dangerous for everyone” in a division he considers one of the UFC’s toughest. That family and training pedigree, surrounded by reigning champions, fuels expectations of a quick arrival, though it guarantees Nurmagomedov nothing when it comes to picking his first opponent. A signing, if it comes together in the coming weeks, would land in a lightweight market that is already crowded, with a reigning champion and several contenders all hoping to position themselves first. For American fans who have followed the Nurmagomedov name since Khabib’s retirement, a deal would mark the clearest sign yet that a second member of the family is ready to chase UFC gold.
Fighters who build their game on wrestling and submissions, the way Usman Nurmagomedov does, train in rash guards to cut down on mat burn and make it harder for opponents to find a grip. Our ranking of MMA rash guards compares the best model from each brand.
