Bellator lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov has been perfecting his skillset and believes he is ready to transition to the UFC.
Usman comes from the famous Nurmagomedov fighting family and is largely considered one of the greatest lightweight fighters in history. The fighter’s family–including cousin Khabib Nurmagomedov—have all competed in the UFC, but it seems Usman is the odd one out. The fighter recently defended his title against Alexander Shabily and feels it is time to follow in his cousin’s footsteps and make a move to the UFC octagon.
“I’m waiting for Islam to finish his career. Then I will [go after the UFC title],” Nurmagomedov said on Gorilla Fighting’s YouTube. “I think if we get it right, we’ll be fighting in the UFC at 28. I’m 26 years old right now. Two years, I’ll get stronger, and that’s it. Go into the UFC at 28 and compete until I’m 32.”
His cousin Makhachev has remained the UFC’s undefeated lightweight champion and is considered the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in MMA. Before his successful run in the octagon, Makhachev had to serve as a runner-up for Khabib before he made his debut. The lineup is all part of their coach Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov’s master plan, and he plans on extending it to Usman.
“This is what Abdulmanap envisioned,” Khabib said. “He strongly believed in Usman and always said that he would be the future champion. I didn’t see the potential when he was 16 years old. I saw the prospects and I believed, and from the very beginning, my father believed in it all, believed in Usman’s future.”
The move seems wise for Usman, but it will come at a cost for Bellator. Fans believe that this will be a loss for PFL/Bellator, but PFL co-founder Donn Davis has dismissed these concerns.
“How many of you have said you’re going to move to Florida and retire in four years, and how many of you do it?” Davis said. “One in 10? One in five? … People say things all the time, and then they don’t do it.
“So might he go? Might not he go? Might he go in two years or five years? Or, Might he be the champion? Might not he be the champion? My goal is to make my man Usman happy. My goal is to make my man Usman successful, financially rich, and a champion, so that in two years he forgets he said this today.”
Usman has put the time into this transition within the next two years, and many are eager to see the fighter in the octagon. His cousin Makhachev plans on moving up to welterweight, which could provide an opportunity for Usman to come on board.
