Coach Javier Mendez has shared why Usman Nurmagomedov will not get the title shot in his potential UFC debut.
Nurmagomedov is the hottest MMA free agent right now, after having fought out of his PFL (MVP MMA) contract in the main event against Archie Colgan at PFL New York. The 28-year-old earned a KO victory in the very first round to defend his PFL Lightweight Championship successfully for the second time.
Right after his win, talks of Nurmagomedov potentially signing with the UFC intensified, and president Dana White also stated that he would be interested in bringing the Russian over to the promotion.
More recently, Nurmagomedov’s coach Javier Mendez, in the latest episode of the Weighing In podcast, revealed why the Russian would not get a title shot on debut, should he sign with the UFC. Mendez told Josh Thomson:
If he was to sign over the UFC, there’s no way they would give us a title shot because, if we come in and we destroy the champion – that just gives credibility to PFL and all these other organizations, as, ‘You don’t have the best fighters in the world, you have the most fighters in the world, but not necessarily the number one.’ That will prove that PFL actually has some number ones. So, that would never be proven…That would be suicide on their part.
Check out Javier Mendez’s comments below:
Javier Mendez Names Who He Would Like Usman Nurmagomedov To Face In his Potential UFC Debut
In the same clip posted on X by Red Corner MMA (via Weighing In), Javier Mendez also named who he would like to see Usman Nurmagomedov face in his potential UFC debut. The 55-year-old named fan-favorite Paddy Pimblett. He said:
In my opinion…Paddy the Baddy [Pimblett]. That’s the one I want. That’s going to be his introduction to a lot of fans on one side, lot of fans on the other side…It will be a fun fight for me.
Ranked #5 in the Meta UFC lightweight rankings, Pimblett has an impressive 8-1 record in the UFC, with his only loss coming against current champion Justin Gaethje. Should Mendez’s wish come true, it would certainly be a treat for the fans.
