Usman Nurmagomedov free agency became the biggest story in MMA on July 31, 2026, the moment he knocked out Archie Colgan in the first round at PFL New York — completing his PFL contract and making himself the most sought-after free agent in combat sports. Within hours, Dana White said one word. Khabib Nurmagomedov wrote a message on Instagram. And the most interesting fighter pay negotiation of 2026 officially began.
What Happened at PFL New York
Nurmagomedov needed less than one round to finish Archie Colgan in dominant fashion at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York. The knockout was emphatic, the performance was one-sided, and it was the final fight on his PFL contract. He walked out of that cage as a free agent for the first time in his professional career.
His record stands at 22-0. He is the PFL Lightweight Champion. Every single one of his professional wins has come by stoppage. He is 26 years old. He is the cousin of Khabib Nurmagomedov — arguably the greatest lightweight in UFC history — and trains under him at AKA. His teammate Islam Makhachev is the current two-division UFC champion and the #1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world.
Dana White’s One-Word Answer
Asked by The Mac Life’s Oscar Willis if the UFC was interested in signing Nurmagomedov, White grinned and said: “Sure.”
He later posted a smiling emoji on social media when the clip circulated. That’s the most enthusiasm White has publicly shown about a potential signing in some time — and reporters in the room said his body language left “absolutely no room for doubt.”
Khabib’s Message: ‘Very Soon’
Khabib Nurmagomedov, who coaches his cousin, wrote on Instagram: “When I said in 2020 that Islam was the best at that time, there were many people who disagreed. Believe me guys, there are levels to this game.” He confirmed negotiations will begin next month and a decision will come “very soon.”
Usman himself was measured: “I have to talk to Khabib, I have to talk with my team, and then we will make the decision. Right now, I cannot make the decision… because I can’t. I have my team.” That patience is itself a negotiating move. The longer he waits, the more both sides have to offer.
What MVP MMA Is Offering
PFL CEO John Martin and MVP co-founder Jake Paul have both publicly stated they want to keep Nurmagomedov under the new combined banner. The merger of PFL and MVP, announced July 30, gives the new company significantly more resources than the PFL alone had to offer.
What that offer looks like in dollar terms hasn’t been disclosed. For context, Francis Ngannou reportedly earned over $4 million for his first PFL MMA fight, and Dakota Ditcheva is reported to earn $1 million per fight. Nurmagomedov is younger, undefeated, and arguably more valuable as a long-term asset than either. The number MVP needs to put on the table to keep him is significant.
What the UFC Is Offering
The UFC hasn’t disclosed any offer publicly. What it can offer that MVP cannot: the Islam Makhachev superfight. Nurmagomedov’s teammate holds the UFC’s lightweight and welterweight titles. A Nurmagomedov vs Makhachev fight inside the UFC would be one of the most anticipated bouts in recent history — two training partners, one promotion, one title. The business case for the UFC is that no price MVP can put on the table matches the career-defining opportunity of that fight.
The counterargument: Makhachev and Nurmagomedov are teammates and close family connections. Whether they’d actually fight each other — inside the UFC or anywhere else — is genuinely uncertain. Khabib has not publicly suggested it’s something he’d sanction.
The Fighter Pay Angle
This negotiation is happening in exactly the environment documented throughout this site: a free agent with genuine leverage, two promotions competing for his services, and a fighter who for once doesn’t have to choose between a UFC contract and no contract at all.
That’s the direct result of the MVP/PFL merger creating a legitimate alternative buyer. The UFC’s entry-level fighters still sign for $12,000 to show because there’s nowhere else to go. Nurmagomedov gets to choose because there now is. His final number — whatever promotion he signs with, whatever it pays — will tell us exactly how much having a real competitor changes the market for the sport’s top talent.
As of August 27, 2026, Usman Nurmagomedov, one of the fighters now under the combined banner, recently turned down a $2 million-plus PFL contract offer — a sign of the leverage top fighters are using during this transition.
The Bottom Line
Usman Nurmagomedov is 22-0, unbeaten, 26 years old, trained by Khabib, and just became a free agent. Dana White is smiling. Jake Paul wants to keep him. Khabib says the decision comes soon. Every fighter in the sport is watching what number gets put on the table — because it tells them what their own leverage is worth.
Is Usman Nurmagomedov a free agent?
Yes. He completed his PFL contract with a first-round KO of Archie Colgan at PFL New York on July 31, 2026. He is now a free agent for the first time in his professional career.
Is Usman Nurmagomedov going to the UFC?
Not confirmed. Dana White said ‘Sure’ when asked about UFC interest. Khabib says a decision is coming ‘very soon.’ MVP MMA has also expressed desire to keep him. No signing has been announced.
What is Usman Nurmagomedov’s record?
22-0, with every win by stoppage. He is the PFL Lightweight Champion and has never been taken to a judges’ scorecard as a professional.
Could Usman Nurmagomedov fight Islam Makhachev?
Theoretically yes if Nurmagomedov signs with the UFC. Makhachev is his longtime teammate and holds both the lightweight and welterweight UFC titles. Whether they would actually fight is uncertain given their close family and training relationship.