Usman Nurmagomedov didn’t hold back when discussing his new promotional environment following his first-round finish at the recent PFL event. The undefeated lightweight champion found himself face-to-face with Jake Paul in the cage after his victory, and the encounter revealed clear tensions about the future of fighter compensation and respect in combat sports.
The merger between Bellator and PFL has placed Paul in a prominent role, but Nurmagomedov quickly challenged the YouTuber-turned-promoter’s credentials.
“Like a promoter, he talk too much, of course. But like a figh ter, he’s not a figh ter,” Nurmagomedov stated bluntly during the conference. “He’s YouTuber guy, come from YouTube. He have a lot of money, but figh ter living different. If you want to see figh ter, come to my gym.”
When asked if that was an invitation to Paul, Nurmagomedov clarified: “No, I’m not gonna fig ht with him, only in MMA, not boxing.”
The champion’s comments extended beyond Paul, addressing the issues facing athletes in the sport. Nurmagomedov referenced Paul’s previous criticisms of UFC pay structures, noting, “Jack Paul talk about Dana White doesn’t pay for his figh ters. Okay, now his third show.”
With free agency approaching, the athlete acknowledged that while legacy matters, “money, brother, is I have a family. Legacy doesn’t pay check, you know.”
Perhaps most notable was Nurmagomedov’s response to questions about a potential matchup with Justin Gaethje. While acknowledging the intrigue around such a matchup, he delivered a pointed message about respect in the sport.
“You know guys, like when somebody doesn’t give the respect for Justin, this is to be honest, this is not good,” he noted. “Justin Gaethje, he’s a legend. This guy, he’s like he’s highlight and he’s truly highlight.”
Nurmagomedov explained that facing Gaethje would require an entirely different preparation than his recent opponent.
“If I will compete against him, I’m gonna prepare different you know because for this camp we preparing something else. For Justin is going to be different, exactly different.”
The Dagestani star maintains his position as the Bellator-PFL lightweight champion, defending the claim that he’s now the organization’s greatest of all time.
“Who keep it the belts like longer than me? No one,” he said confidently.
