Usman Nurmagomedov bet on himself; now the UFC question begins

Usman Nurmagomedov entered a 90-day exclusive negotiating window with the Professional Fighters League after his July 31 bout, a development shaping one of MMA's most-watched contract decisions. Manager Ali Abdelaziz said the unbeaten lightweight completed his PFL contract with a first-round knockout of Archie Colgan and is currently the most sought-after free agent. He added that PFL had an opportunity to re-sign him before the fight but did not finalize a new deal, and that UFC interest exists pending negotiations. Abdelaziz said Nurmagomedov chose to risk free agency, and any move would also require Khabib Nurmagomedov's approval.