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Usman Nurmagomedov clarifies Khabib’s Dagestan vs. Ireland MMA comments

Usman Nurmagomedov hopes the Dagestan vs. Ireland comparison remains purely about MMA.

[autotag]Usman Nurmagomedov[/autotag] hopes the Dagestan vs. Ireland comparison remains purely about MMA.

Usman’s cousin, [autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag], riled up the Irish fighters and fans when he said that unlike Dagestan, Ireland hasn’t really produced anyone of note outside of Conor McGregor and Paul Hughes.

Nurmagomedov agrees, but doesn’t like how the debate has transcended MMA.

“If we’re talking about levels, of course we can talk a lot, but we have facts,” Nurmagomedov told MMA Junkie. “Bellator champion: Some Irish have Bellator champions? No. PFL, no. UFC, no. In PFL, we have champions, in Bellator we have champions – and not only one. In PFL, we have two or three. In Bellator, we have two or three, and in the UFC, soon Umar will be the second one and Islam Makhachev we have. If we talk only about sport, MMA, Dagestan, Russia, we’re different level.

“But other things, I don’t want to talk or touch about people or nation. Some people don’t understand, when you say, like, level different, they start talking sh*t, you know? This is not good. We’re not talking about a nation or something. We’re just talking about MMA levels, you know? And that’s it, nothing else, nothing more. And we stay within this border now. We don’t go outside the border and talk sh*t about people, no. We’re just talking about levels in MMA. Fighters from Ireland and Russia, and that’s it.”

Nurmagomedov (18-0) defends his lightweight title against Hughes (13-1) in the Bellator Champions Series: Road to Dubai main event on Jan. 25.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator Champions Series: Road to Dubai.

Usman Nurmagomedov ‘more stressed’ for brother Umar, Islam Makhachev at UFC 311 than own title defense

It would be hard to draw up a more significant start to the year than what Usman Nurmagomedov and his teammates have lined up in January.

It would be hard to draw up a more significant start to the year than what [autotag]Usman Nurmagomedov[/autotag] and his teammates have lined up to begin 2025.

The Dagestan takeover in MMA could reach its peak this month with Nurmagomedov (18-0) set to put his Bellator lightweight title on the line against Paul Hughes (13-0) at Road to Dubai on Jan. 25, just one week after his brother, Umar, challenges Merab Dvalishvili for the UFC bantamweight title in the UFC 311 co-main event on Jan. 18, and Islam Makhachev puts his 155-pound strap on the line against Arman Tsarukyan in the headliner of the same card in Inglewood, Calif.

Scheduling for the respective championship has splintered training camps among the team. Khabib Nurmagomedov has headed the ship for Umar and Makhachev stateside in Las Vegas, while Usman remained at home in Dagestan. He considered joining his team in the U.S. for a portion of his training camp, but ultimately logistics ruled it out.

“It’s not too much travel,” Nurmagomedov told MMA Junkie on Wednesday. “I had a little problem with my VISA. I got it, but I got it a little late, so that’s why I made the decision not to go to America. If I go there for 10 days, I will have jet lag then come back and have jet lag. I don’t want to lose some time. I just made the decision to stay in Dagestan because in Dagestan we have a lot of warriors, too, where I can work. So that’s why I stayed in Dagestan and did the whole camp here.

“Honestly, yes, for me it’s a little hard. I want to be there with Umar for his fight, first time for him fighting for a title. But any time it doesn’t matter. For me, it’s the most important that these guys will win. That’s what’s most important. Other things, this doesn’t matter.”

Usman said his expectation is for Umar and Makhachev to finish their respective opponents to leave UFC 311 with gold, then join him in Dubai as part of his corner team against Hughes.

It’s going to be agonizing for Usman to watch everything play out at UFC 311 from the other side of the globe, and he admits he’s more on edge and invested in the results for his older brother, Makhachev and another teammate in Tagir Ulanbekov than his own contest.

“Honestly, I’m more nervous about these guys fighting than my own,” Nurmagomedov said. “My fights, I don’t care even. I know what I can do, and I know my skills. I just have to go in the cage and referee will say, ‘Let’s start guys.’ I love this. I am more stressed and more nervous about Umar, about Islam, about Tagir and these guys. But with these guys, Khabib is there. Even if Khabib wasn’t there, it’s because I love these guys so much. That’s why I’m nervous. They will win, I believe.”

If all goes according to plan, the Nurmagomedov team will boast a high-level slate of champions by the end of the month: Usman in Bellator, Umar and Makhachev in the UFC, and also 2024 PFL lightweight champion Gadzhi Rabadanov.

It’s a dream scenario, Usman said, and he fully expects things to come to fruition.

“Can you imagine if we will begin this year with two UFC champions, one PFL champion, one Bellator champion?” Nurmagomedov said. “Phew. This is crazy.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator Champions Series: Road to Dubai.

Video: MMA Junkie’s 2024 Year End Awards review: KO, Submission, Fight of the Year, & more

On the latest episode of “Spinning Back Clique,” we review our 2024 awards, including Knockout, Submission and Fight of the Year.

2024 is over, and with it, some great moments in MMA that should not be forgotten.

Last week, on the final episode of 2024 of “Spinning Back Clique,” we reviewed our MMA Junkie awards for Male and Female Fighter of the Year. Although those are considered by many the two biggest awards, there were other notable winners and moments that were also recognized and awarded on the site.

On the latest episode of SBC, the first of 2025, MMA Junkie’s Brian “Goze” Garcia, Nolan King, Danny Segura, and host Gorgeous George tackled the rest of our 2024 awards, including Breakout Fighter of the Year, Newcomer of the Year, Knockout, Submission and Fight of the Year, and many more. Did we make the right picks? Who else and what other moments were in the running?

Watch their discussion in the video above, and don’t miss this week’s complete episode of “Spinning Back Clique” below on YouTube.

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Khabib Nurmagomedov rips Irish MMA ahead of cousin’s title defense vs. Paul Hughes

What does Khabib Nurmagomedov think of Irish MMA? “There is no fighters, brother.”

[autotag]Khabib Nurmagomedov[/autotag] doesn’t think very highly of the overall quality of Irish fighters in MMA.

Ahead of his cousin [autotag]Usman Nurmagomedov[/autotag]’s (18-0) lightweight title defense against [autotag]Paul Hughes[/autotag] (13-1) at Bellator Champions Series: Road to Dubai on Jan. 25, UFC Hall of Famer Khabib is not interested in a discussion about the impact of athletes from Ireland compared to his native Dagestan.

The biggest rivalry in the history of MMA came between Khabib, from Dagestan, and Ireland’s Conor McGregor. The matchup between Usman and Hughes is being touted as the next chapter in the feud between regions.

Khabib, however, said it’s a foolish comparison. He sees only two strong Irish representatives in the sport with Hughes and McGregor (although Ian Machado Garry is worth mentioning), and said it pales to the strength from his part of the world.

“Ireland don’t have fighters, brother,” Nurmagomedov said in an interview with PFL. “Let’s be honest: How many fighters from Ireland? Paul Hughes and Conor. Who else? There is no fighters, brother. You come to Dagestan, you can understand. So many organizations, they don’t even want to sign Dagestan fighters because they worry about like, everybody can become champion.”

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In the aftermath of his MMA retirement in 2020, Khabib has evolved into one of the prominent coaches in MMA behind his cousins Usman and Umar, his childhood friends Islam Makhachev and Gadzhi Rabadanov, plus many more. He works first hand with the very best from Dagestan, so he minced no words on how the fighters around him stack up to those from Ireland.

“Let’s be honest: Dagestan level of MMA here (up high),” Nurmagomedov said. “But Ireland level, like not even half of Dagestan level.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator Champions Series: Road to Dubai.

Manager reveals Aaron Pico’s free agent status, comments on potential UFC move

Aaron Pico, once regarded as perhaps the biggest prospect in MMA history, could soon be on the move.

[autotag]Aaron Pico[/autotag], once regarded as perhaps the biggest prospect in MMA history, could soon be on the move.

At 20, Pico made his MMA debut in 2017 under the Bellator banner. There was some turbulence in the early portion of his career, but he has currently won nine of his past 10 fights, with the lone defeat in that stretch coming as the result of an in-fight shoulder dislocation.

Pico (13-4) hasn’t seen action since a first-round TKO of Henry Corrales at February’s PFL vs. Bellator: Champions event in Saudi Arabia, however, and has only competed three times in the past two years overall. Inactivity has caused some frustration with several notable Bellator fighters since the promotion was acquired by PFL in late 2023, and according to his manager [autotag]Ali Abdelaziz[/autotag] of Dominance MMA, the only reason he hasn’t spoken out among that group is because of his contract status.

Abdelaziz told MMA Junkie on Monday that Pico is currently a free agent, and once his exclusive matching period with PFL expires in January, he will be open to negotiate with any organization.

“Pico was supposed to fight (Patricio) ‘Pitbull’ in December, but RIZIN (co-promotion with Bellator/PFL) got cancelled – (now) Pico’s contract ran out,” Abdelaziz told MMA Junkie. “Pico right now is a free agent. I’m going to do everything I can to help these guys become successful, but I’m also going to do everything I can to make sure my fights stay regularly competing and have fights, because if they do not have fights, they cannot buy that time back.

“Pico didn’t say nothing because he’s a free agent. He can shop here very soon, after 90 days (of exclusive negotiation period). Maybe before the 90 days PFL make him a deal he cannot refuse, I don’t know.”

Abdelaziz did not close the door on Pico, 28, returning to PFL under a new deal, also noting that the there is a matching period after the exclusive negotiation window ends. However it shakes out, Abdelaziz said it is his duty to find the best terms for his client, both from an activity and financial standpoint.

“Pico right now is a free agent,” Abdelaziz said. “I’m sure the UFC wants him. I’m sure PFL wants to keep him. … Pico’s a businessman. Pico likes money. UFC, of course he would love to become a UFC champion, but if PFL can offer me a deal I can’t refuse, then he’s going to take it. But if he said, ‘I want to go to the UFC,’ I have to go get an offer from the UFC and PFL can have the right to match it.”

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MMA Junkie’s 2024 Event of the Year: UFC 300

There are fight cards that are supposed to be too big to fail. When those come through with iconic moments, there’s reason to celebrate.

There were fight cards in 2024 that were put together to be too big to fail.

And in the business of selling pay-per-views, that’s obviously a very smart thing. But how often do those shows turn into ones that were merely good for “on-paper” views, and when it came time to deliver the goods, they left a little something to be desired?

In 2024, events that were so monumental they demanded viewing in the MMA world included a historic round number, a debut in a revolutionary new building, iconic title fights and a crossover event pitting champions from one promotion against their counterparts in another.

But an iconic moment helped push one way ahead of the pack.

UFC 300 is MMA Junkie’s 2024 Event of the Year.

It was a show that was, without question, too big to fail. At T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, the card was curtain-jerked by a fight between two former champions. And we’re talking recent champs, too, with Deiveson Figueiredo’s submission of Cody Garbrandt. Another ex-champ, Jessica Andrade, was on the bill just two fights later. And those were the early prelims.

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Two-time PFL champ and two-time Olympic gold medalist Kayla Harrison finally got her chance to test herself in the UFC, and against an ex-titleholder, too – and it had to languish on the ESPN prelims instead of the main card.

The main card had two title fights, including Alex Pereira’s third headlining win of the year when he took out ex-champ Jamahal Hill. But one absolutely massive moment for Max Holloway solidified not only his spot as an MMA icon, but put UFC 300 way over the top for Event of the Year.

In a fight he was winning against Justin Gaethje, with the “BMF” title at stake, Holloway now famously pointed at the canvas to signal to his opponent they should throw for the fences for the final 10 seconds. And that they did.

Holloway landed a haymaker of a right hand with two seconds left in the fight, and Gaethje was out on the canvas with a second to go. With bonus amounts set at $300,000 in advance to mark the historic UFC 300 occasion, Holloway double-dipped with Fight of the Night and Performance of the Night for $600,000 in bonuses alone.

But his knockout took the Hawaiian former featherweight champion into living legend territory, and it made UFC 300 the kind of legendary event that lives up to its advance billing.

UFC 300 had eight finishes in 13 fights, 11 current or former UFC champions, former champs from other promotions, Olympic medalists, NCAA wrestling champions, two title fights, long-awaited promotional debuts, record-setting moments …

By comparison, UFC 306 at The Sphere was a technical marvel, but it wasn’t littered up and down with as many stars – and its results also were, while not insignificant, devoid of many finishes. And the PFL vs. Bellator crossover event early in the year lost some of its luster when it turned out that the Bellator half of the product seemed to be on the way out.

Shows like UFC 299 and UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden become also-rans when held up to UFC 300. But UFC 300 may wind up being MMA’s all-time standard-bearer, anyway, when all is said and done, and that makes the runners-up this year a nice group of moral victors.

Video: PFL highlights its top 15 finishes of 2024

Despite criticism about PFL’s business practices in 2024, there’s no denying inside the cage, some spectacular highlights were produced.

Although there’s criticisms to be had about PFL’s business practices in 2024, there’s no denying that inside the cage, some spectacular highlights were produced.

Another year is in the books for PFL, and it was one of transition after it acquired the Bellator brand in late 2023. The attempt to run PFL and Bellator as separate entities largely failed, and there was a number of fighters who crossed over from one to another.

Some of the best finishes of the year came from outside the primary PFL roster, however, with some memorable highlights being turned on Bellator Champions Series, PFL Europe and PFL MENA events.

The organization has assembled 15 of the best stoppages from the past year, with winners including Renan Ferreira, Dakota Ditcheva, Francis Ngannou and more.

Check out the video above to relive some of the top PFL moments from 2024.

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BKFC signs former Bellator standout Brennan Ward

One of the most violent men in Bellator history heads to BKFC.

One of the most violent fighters in Bellator history took the gloves off in retirement in 2024 – but also perhaps to signal his entry into bareknuckle boxing.

Connecticut’s [autotag]Brennan Ward[/autotag] has signed with BKFC, the promotion announced recently. He will debut Feb. 1 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn., an area in which he is hugely popular and served as a big ticket seller in for Bellator over the years.

An opponent for Ward’s BKFC debut has not yet been announced.

Ward went 17-9 in professional MMA from his debut in 2008 up until what he’s called his final MMA fight in August. He compiled a 12-7 record for Bellator and won the promotion’s middleweight tournament in 2013. The victory earned him a title fight vs. then-champ Alexander Shlemenko in 2014. Ward lost by second-round submission.

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In the years that followed, Ward pumped out banger fights against Saad Awad, Paul Daley and others. However, he stepped away from the sport in 2018. While it was not known at the time publicly, Ward struggled from a relentless addiction to drugs. After having his daughter, Ward finally figured out how to reroute and become sober.

In 2021, Ward returned to MMA. He went 3-0 in his first three fights back, before he lost a main event against fellow welterweight contender Logan Storley. When Bellator was absorbed by PFL in 2023, Ward merged into the PFL regular season in 2024. He was finished by Don Madge and Magomed Umalatov.

Paul Hughes unbothered by Usman Nurmagomedov’s past drug test failure, vows to ‘bring him to hell’

Paul Hughes is confident he will ruin Usman Nurmagomedov’s perfect record and restore the feeling to Irish MMA.

Even if Bellator lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov intentionally used performance-enhancing drugs, [autotag]Paul Hughes[/autotag] believes it wouldn’t make a difference in their upcoming fight.

As we’ve seen over the years, high-level fighters coming out of Ireland are a confident bunch, and Hughes (13-1) is no different. He may not be as loud and bodacious as Conor McGregor, but the confidence in his ability inside the cage is the same.

At Bellator Champion Series: Road to Dubai on Jan. 25, 2025, Hughes gets a crack lightweight gold against the undefeated Nurmagomedov (18-0). The champ’s record is unblemished, although a Bellator 300 win over Brent Primus was overturned due to a positive drug test.

Nurmagomedov said the result was due to prescribed medication and there was no intention of attempting to gain an advantage. For Hughes, that issue is essentially an afterthought, but if his opponent was looking for an edge, it wouldn’t make a difference.

“I haven’t thought too much on it, to be honest,” Hughest told MMA Junkie. “At the end of the day, you know, it’s gonna take more than steroids to beat me, especially over five rounds. Yes, obviously Russia has history with doping and stuff like that, people are naturally going to think he’s definitely juicing. In mixed martial arts, I think skills really pay the bills and especially over five rounds. I think that whether he’s taking steroids or not, he might be, a lot of people are 100 percent convinced that he’s juicing and that his team juices. Whether or not you want to believe that, I don’t think it makes a difference to me.

“You put me in the cage with any 155er over five rounds and I will beat them, because I can go to the death to beat somebody. I’ve done it before and I can do it again if I need to. So, whatever. If he took them, he took them. If he did take them, to me, that’s mental weakness. That’s pure, pure mental weakness. And as I say, no man at 155 can beat me over five rounds.”

Hughes, 27, has been on a roll since losing a split decision to Jordan Vucenic in December 2020, the lone loss on his professional record. Since then, he has won seven straight fights, inlcuding three stoppages and a big win over former Bellator champ AJ McKee in October which led to his title opportunity.

For Hughes, winning the Bellator lightweight championship would help restore excitment in the Irish MMA scene, and he’s extremely confident he can put a 1 in Nurmagomedov’s loss column.

“I’m gonna bring this man to hell, 100 percent, if I need to,” Hughes said. “Now, I am very confident that I can knock him out clean as I almost, almost, almost did with AJ. I called the shot and all, it was so close. I see shots against Usman, and I know for a fact that I can put him out, but I also know that I can bring him to hell for five rounds, to a place that nobody has ever brought him before.

“That’s when I do my best work, whenever I can drag people into hell, because I live there. I’ve been there many times in my career, and I’ve always, always came out victorious. The biggest nights that I’ve had, the most pressure, have been the nights that I performed the best. I’m honestly unbelievably confident going into this fight.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Bellator Champions Series: Road to Dubai.