Elmont, NY — With free agency looming, PFL lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov earned a key victory on Friday, putting away the formerly undefeated Archie Colgan to cap off the night at PFL New York.
The timing could not be better for Nurmagomedov, himself undefeated at 23-0, 1NC. The cousin of Khabib Nurmagomedov and brother of UFC bantamweight contender Umar is about to hit the market at the same time the PFL is merging into Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotion (MVP).
Speaking with media outlets including Cageside Press following the fight, Nurmagomedov addressed his future, which is still very much up in the air, and the PFL/MVP merger.
“Of course this is very good, two companies right now working together. We’ll see what’s going to happen,” stated Nurmagomedov. “I have to talk with my team. Like I said, Jake Paul talking about, Dana White doesn’t pay his fighters. Okay, now his turn. Just show us.”
In his post-fight interview in the cage on Friday, which was hijacked by Paul, Nurmagomedov did point out that the Youtube creator had been a frequent critic of White and the UFC’s poor track record on fighter pay. And money, at the end of the day, appears to be a huge factor for Nurmagomedov moving forward. Money and legacy, but legacy doesn’t put food on the table.
“Legacy. We keep doing legacy, but money, brother. I have a family. Legacy doesn’t pay checks, you know?” observed Nurmagomedov. “We’ll see. I don’t want to go ahead and say some big words.”
“I have to talk with Khabib, I have to talk with my team, and then we’ll make the decision. Right now, I cannot say something, ‘I’m going to do this, do this.’ Because I can’t. I have my team.”
As for his thoughts on Jake Paul, “like a promoter, he talks too much of course, but like a fighter? He’s not a fighter,” Nurmagomedov stated. “He’s not a fighter. He’s a Youtuber guy, he comes from Youtube. He has a lot of money, but fighter’s league is different. If you want to see a fighter, come to my gym.”
Usman Nurmagomedov had a very different take on Justin Gaethje, who many would like to see him fight in the UFC.
“When somebody doesn’t give respect for Justin, to be honest this is not good. Justin Gaethje, he’s a legend. This guy, he’s a highlight, and he’s truly a highlight now. And I don’t know how it’s going on with him, if I will fight against him.”
Nurmagomedov added that he’s “really happy” that Gaethje is the UFC champ, agreeing that “The Highlight” was the best lightweight in the word. Perhaps outside of Nurmagomedov himself.
Watch the full PFL New York post-fight press conference with Usman Nurmagomedov above.
