PFL founder Donn Davis responds to Usman Nurmagomedov’s comments about a future UFC move

PFL founder Donn Davis didn’t take long to respond to Bellator champ Usman Nurmagomedov’s timeline for a potential move to the UFC.

Nurmagomedov, regarded by many as one of the top fighters outside of the UFC, defeated Alexandr Shabliy by unanimous decision in his last Bellator title defense. Usman is the cousin of UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov, considered one of the greatest fighters of all time.

Nurmagomedov’s meteoric rise to the top of Bellator has created speculation of how he’d do in the UFC. His teammate, Islam Makhachev, is the UFC’s lightweight titleholder.

Nurmagomedov made headlines when he admitted in an interview that he plans to debut in the UFC in two years, once Makhachev is done competing.

PFL’s Donn Davis promises to “Keep Usman happy” after UFC tease

During a recent fan Q+A hosted by MMA Fighting, Davis responded to Nurmagomedov’s remarks.

“How many of you said you were going to move to Florida and retire in four years? And how many of you do it?” Davis replied to Nurmagomedov. “1 in 10? 1 in 5? How many people say they’re going to go to the Super Bowl and do it? And not do it? People say things all the time and then they don’t do it… my goal is to make my man Usman [Nurmagomedov] happy. My goal is to make my man Usman successful, financially rich, and a champion. So that in two years, he forgets he even says this today…

Davis was then asked what the PFL’s plans are to keep Nurmagomedov happy in hopes of retaining him.

“He’ll face everybody that’s exciting eventually,” Davis said. “Every fighter is different. What we try to do is meet a fighter where they are. We don’t have one size fits all. What Paul Hughes wants, is different from what Francis Ngannou wants, and is different from what Cedric Doumbe wants. We try to do a custom suit for what could work for the company…we have no playbook that we run. The other guys have a playbook, we have a ‘What would you like?’ playbook. So I think we’re in a great position to keep him happy. I think two years is infinite time in the fighting world, and I say we can all talk about this question in two years.”

As of this writing, Nurmagomedov’s next Bellator title defense hasn’t been announced. He could potentially face Paul Hughes, who defeated AJ McKee last Saturday.