PFL lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov revealed that he turned down a huge contract offer from the promotion.
Nurmagomedov recently became a free agent when his contract with PFL ended. Before he can talk to other promotions, including the UFC, where he is widely expected to end up, PFL has an exclusive 90-day negotiating period to speak with him.
PFL is trying to re-sign their star, and they have offered him a big contract, but to this point, he has not signed the deal, as he wants more money.
Usman Nurmagomedov Comments on Contract Talks
According to Nurmagomedov, he is still talking with the PFL about a new deal, but he said he wants more money than what they have offered him thus far.
“Negotiations with the PFL are still ongoing. 90 days need to pass, and then we’ll see. But I have (previously) turned down $2 million. When we made our request for a new contract, the numbers were different. Higher than $2 million,” Nurmagomedov told Sport24 (via Bloody Elbow).
Where Will Usman Nurmagomedov End Up?
With a 22-0, 1 NC record in MMA, it is clear that Nurmagomedov is among the best lightweights in the sport today, and if he came to the UFC, he would likely get a No. 1 contender fight right away.
Still, the UFC isn’t known for paying its non-champions in the millions of dollars, especially in their first fight, so it’s unknown if they would be willing to give him such a big deal for his first UFC fight.
Then again, if Nurmagomedov wants to prove that he is the best lightweight fighter in the world, then he can only do so in the UFC, as PFL simply doesn’t have the right level of competition for him to show just how good he is.
Ultimately, look for Nurmagomedov to wait out the 90-day exclusive negotiating period with the PFL and then speak to the UFC after. Only then will he be able to see exactly what they are offering him and if it’s worth it to leave the comfy confines of PFL to fight in the UFC instead going forward.
Usman Nurmagomedov Turned Down Huge PFL Contract Offer