Khabib
Nurmagomedov believes his cousin, Usman
Nurmagomedov, can hold his own against the best
UFC lightweights.
Usman became the inaugural
Professional Fighters LeagueL lightweight champion with a
victory over Paul Hughes
last year. While the UFC is considered the pinnacle of MMA success,
Khabib believes Usman is on par with any UFC lightweight. Khabib
admits that he wouldn’t have said the same of Usman a year back.
However, having trained and sparred with Usman over the past year,
Khabib claims the PFL lightweight champion is on the same level as
UFC lightweight champion Ilia
Topuria and No. 1 contender Arman
Tsarukyan.
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“I have my own opinion on this, but it’s not right to talk about
the UFC being a PFL fighter. In one year, Usman has grown a lot,”
Khabib told Team Gorilla Fighting. “I’m fighting with him myself,
I’m working personally. And from the outside, he’s at least on the
same level as them [Ilia and Arman]. A year ago I would have said
we still have to wait, but now he’s already at that level. Time
will show.”
Usman (20-0) was also the lightweight champion at Bellator, where
he beat the likes of Patricky
Freire, Benson
Henderson and Alexandr
Shabliy. Usman also defended the PFL lightweight title in a
rematch against Hughes this past October. The undefeated Dagestani
is now scheduled to defend his title against Alfie Davis
at
PFL Road to Dubai on Saturday at the Coca-Cola Arena in
Dubai.
Two World Title Fights
headline PFL Road to Dubai! Tune in LIVE Saturday, Feb. 7 at 12
p.m. ET.
Khabib says Usman
Nurmagomedov has reached Ilia and Arman’s level 👀🔥“In one year, Usman has grown a lot. I’m fighting with him myself,
I’m working personally. And from the outside, he’s at least on the
same level as them [Ilia and Arman]. A year ago I would have said
we still… pic.twitter.com/u49eWeuVdv— Red Corner MMA (@RedCorner_MMA)
February 3, 2026