Khabib Nurmagomedov Still Rules the Gym, Says PFL Champion Usman
Usman Nurmagomedov has placed Khabib Nurmagomedov at the top of the room when the family’s elite training group gets together. The unbeaten PFL lightweight champion says the Nurmagomedov name has already secured its place among combat sports’ leading families, while Khabib remains the man to beat in sparring.
Ahead of PFL New York, Usman Nurmagomedov Says Khabib Still Sets the Standard
Speaking during PFL New York media week, Usman was asked who comes out on top among the fighters around him, a group that includes former UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev and UFC bantamweight contender Umar Nurmagomedov. His answer was short: “Khabib.”
It is a strong claim given the level of talent in that circle. Khabib retired from MMA in 2020 with a 29-0 record, having held and defended the UFC lightweight title before stepping away from competition. Usman, Khabib’s cousin, said the family’s legacy is already complete because of what Khabib achieved, with the current generation continuing to add wins to it.
Usman went further when discussing the family name, calling it “the most powerful” and greatest champion name in combat sports history from his perspective. That view is rooted in more than Khabib’s UFC run, as the group now features champions and contenders across major promotions. Usman, Umar and Khabib own a combined 70-1 record with one no contest, according to the figures cited during fight week.
The comments arrive before one of Usman’s toughest tests on paper. He defends the PFL lightweight title against undefeated Archie “King” Colgan in Friday’s PFL New York main event at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York.
Usman enters at 21-0 with one no contest. His most recent outing came in February, when he submitted Alfie Davis with an arm-triangle choke in the third round of his first PFL title defense. Before that, he won consecutive decisions over Paul Hughes and defeated Alexander Shabliy for the Bellator lightweight title.
Colgan brings a 13-0 record and credentials that make this a fitting title fight. The American was a Big 12 wrestling champion at the University of Wyoming, twice qualified for the NCAA tournament, and collected 112 collegiate victories. He earned the championship opportunity after a unanimous-decision win over Jay-Jay Wilson last October.
Usman has questioned whether Colgan has the five-round experience needed for a championship main event, saying the challenger may need more fights to test himself at that level. Still, the matchup offers a clear wrestling storyline: an unbeaten Division I standout trying to take down a champion raised in the Nurmagomedov system.
