PFL CEO Slams 'Misinformation' On Usman Nurmagomedov

PFL CEO John Martin has hit back at what he describes as widespread misinformation surrounding Usman Nurmagomedov's free agency — insisting the UFC has not made the unbeaten lightweight an offer and is not legally permitted to do so while the PFL's exclusive negotiating window is open.

"There is so much misinformation. The UFC has not given him an offer. They're not legally allowed to. We have an exclusive negotiating period. We're putting together an offer, and we're going to sit down and talk with them. I think our offer will be competitive,” Martin

The narrative that Nurmagomedov's UFC signing is a foregone conclusion has gathered momentum since Dana White publicly confirmed the promotion's interest in adding him to its lightweight division. Martin is pushing back on that framing — firmly but without panic.

"It's really up to him. We would love to have him. We would love to keep him. I do have to say, it's a little bit funny. I started saying a year ago, 'This guy is one of the best lightweights in the world,' and I think people were almost mocking me. The original speculation was that he wouldn't even be top 15 in the UFC. Now I find it kind of ironic that he is being paraded around like he's the salvation of mixed martial arts,” Martin

Nurmagomedov is widely regarded as the biggest name to hit MMA free agency in years. The cousin of UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov, he most recently defended the PFL lightweight title with a brutal knockout of Archie Colgan at PFL New York — the final fight of his contract.

Unbeaten, in his prime, and trained by one of the sport's most respected coaching minds, the interest from the UFC is understandable. Whether the PFL can match what the world's biggest MMA promotion is able to offer — in terms of money, profile and competitive matchmaking — is the central question of his free agency. Martin did not pretend the decision is his to make.

"If he chooses that's not the path he wants to take, then we have a lot of great fighters here, and it's a dynamic ecosystem."

But he made clear the PFL intends to make a serious run at keeping their most valuable asset — and that the UFC's apparent inevitability in this process is being overstated. Khabib Nurmagomedov has said negotiations will begin next month. An answer is expected shortly after.