Usman Nurmagomedov Questions UFC's Confidence in Ilia Topuria

Usman Nurmagomedov has expressed that a major lightweight fight involving Ilia Topuria could have taken place if the UFC had more confidence in Topuria's capabilities. Nurmagomedov, the PFL lightweight champion, is rumored to be signing with the UFC after completing his contract in August.

He noted that if Arman Tsarukyan holds the title when he joins the UFC, he expects to be prioritized as the first challenger over Topuria. Nurmagomedov theorized that the UFC's hesitation to match Topuria against Tsarukyan indicates a lack of belief in Topuria's chances of winning.

Currently, Justin Gaethje is the UFC lightweight champion, and if he continues fighting, Tsarukyan is anticipated to be next in line for a title shot. Nurmagomedov, who recently defended his PFL title by knocking out Archie Colgan, is still in an exclusive negotiating period with the PFL, preventing the UFC from engaging with him at this time.