Islam
Makhachev believes teammate Usman
Nurmagomedov will have to compromise on his salary if he moves
to the
UFC from the
Professional Fighters League.
Nurmagomedov (20-1) is considered one of the best lightweights in
the world, regardless of promotion. Nurmagomedov’s current PFL
contract will expire after he puts his lightweight title on the
line against Archie
Colgan at
PFL New York on July 31 at the UBS Arena in Long Island, New
York.
There has been speculation about Nurmagomedov potentially signing
with the UFC after his current PFL contract expires. Makhachev
(28-1) believes Nurmagomedov needs to move to the UFC to fully
realize his potential against a higher caliber of opponents.
However, Makhachev claims that Nurmagomedov is getting a hefty
payday in the PFL, which the UFC is unlikely to pay. According to
Makhachev, Nurmagomedov still has ample time to sign another PFL
contract and move to the UFC later in his career to build his
legacy. The UFC welterweight champion believes Nurmagomedov should
sign with the UFC only if the offer is lucrative enough.
Room to Grow
“Looking at the opponents, I’d say Usman should make the move,”
Makhachev told Adam Zubayraev. “To fully realize his
potential, he needs tougher opponents. They push you to grow. I
think Usman still has room to improve… In PFL they pay much more.
The UFC doesn’t like paying that much. If Usman signs, I think he
gets half the purse he gets in PFL… If he works out one more
contract [in PFL], three more fights, he won’t be late for
anything. Let the UFC make him an offer he can’t refuse. But if
they offer a small purse, what’s the point of going?”