Usman Nurmagomedov: Legacy and money key as free agency looms

Usman Nurmagomedov enters the final bout of his PFL contract knowing his next signature could reshape the lightweight division.

The undefeated champion defends his title against Archie Colgan on July 31 with his future still undecided, despite widespread speculation linking him to the UFC. At 28, Nurmagomedov would slot into the top five as the youngest contender in a division now missing Islam Makhachev, who recently moved to welterweight. But the Dagestan product told MMA Fighting he maintains a strong relationship with PFL and has not ruled out staying put.

What matters to Nurmagomedov in his next contract

Asked what drives his decision, Nurmagomedov pointed to two factors. "Most important things, first of all, it's legacy. Second, it's money. I think this is two inside the one," he said, per MMA Fighting. He acknowledged the financial reality of supporting a large family in an expensive climate, but placed legacy at the top of his list.

PFL CEO John Martin has stated publicly that the promotion wants to keep its lightweight titleholder, though no serious negotiations have taken place beyond booking the Colgan fight. Nurmagomedov confirmed he is leaving those discussions to his manager Ali Abdelaziz and plans to focus entirely on staying undefeated. "If I will show my best performance in my life, maybe I'm going to do some crazy things and it's going to be very nice highlights, maybe then people are going to be interested in me," he told the outlet.

Nurmagomedov shut down any notion of looking past Colgan, an undefeated contender he called a genuine threat. "I don't want to look ahead and thinking about the future for my career or something like that," he said. "I have fight, I have a name, and we're going to fight." A decision on his next move will come after July 31.

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• MMA Fighting — Usman Nurmagomedov reveals what’s most important to his future as he approaches free agency