Win or lose come Friday night at PFL New York, lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov believes he’s the best Bellator and PFL champion in history.
“Yes, my opinion, yes,” Nurmagomedov (21-0, 1NC) told media outlets including Cageside Press during this week’s PFL New York media day.
Nurmagomedov faces fellow Bellator alum Archie Colgan this Friday, in what is reportedly the final fight of the Dagestani’s current contract. A lot of the attention on the cousin of Khabib Nurmagomedov has been about what comes next, and his legacy in the sport. Not to mention his family’s legacy. Brother of UFC bantamweight title challenger Umar Nurmagomedov, the trio along have a combined record of 70-1, 1NC.
Asked whether the Nurmagomedov name could become the greatest in combat sports, Usman replied saying “my opinion, it’s already, this is right now. The most powerful and most great champ ever.”
Who the best among them in the gym (including UFC welterweight champ Islam Makhachev) is, meanwhile, is simple. “Khabib,” stated Nurmagomedov. And 29-0, the record Khabib Nurmagomedov finished his MMA career with, isn’t all that far away for PFL champ Usman. “Anything is possible if you believe,” he stated.
Legacy, he later added, “is important of course but you never know what is going to happen inside the cage. Our legacy, it’s already built, it’s like completed and just what we’re doing, we’re just adding some new victories inside this legacy. If we’re talking about Nurmagomedov [the family name], Khabib already did everything.”
Archie Colgan never really crossed Nurmagomedov’s mind when the pair fought in Bellator, as Colgan was just starting out. Now, they’re set to face off in one of the PFL’s biggest cards of the year. Usman, however, doesn’t feel Colgan is ready.
“For my opinion, I think he still doesn’t have the experience he needs for five rounds and to fight for the title. He has to a couple fights for, just check yourself. But it is what it is. We’re here, 13-0 against 21-0. We’ll see what’s going to happen.”
Watch the full PFL New York media day appearance by Usman Nurmagomedov above.
