Usman Nurmagomedov might finally be on his way to the UFC, and Dana White has made it clear that he’s interested in making it happen. The undefeated lightweight has already conquered Bellator and the PFL, and now a move to the biggest MMA promotion in the world could be next. There’s just one catch: the 28-year-old needs to sort out his contractual obligations with the PFL before the UFC can get the ball rolling.

Speaking at the UFC 333 post-event press conference in Abu Dhabi, Dana White was asked about Nurmagomedov’s contract situation and whether the promotion planned to bring him on board.

“I don’t know where he is on his contract situation. I just said, whenever the f— I said it a couple days ago, that when his contract is up and he can negotiate, we will start talking to him,” White replied.

Dana White hasn’t confirmed that talks are underway or that a deal is anywhere close, but his comments should get fans excited about the possibility of seeing Usman Nurmagomedov in the UFC.

The 28-year-old wrapped up his current PFL contract after beating Archie Colgan at PFL New York in July, but there’s still one hurdle standing between him and a potential UFC move. Usman Nurmagomedov reportedly has to get through a 90-day exclusive negotiating window, giving the PFL the first shot at keeping its champion around.

That means he can’t freely negotiate with rival promotions like the UFC until that window expires. The good news? The period is reportedly set to end in late October 2026, meaning the wait for the Dagestani’s next move could soon be over.

A UFC move is still far from a done deal, though. The Dagestani and the PFL are reportedly still negotiating, giving the promotion a chance to keep its lightweight champion before he can seriously explore his options elsewhere.

That hasn’t stopped fans from going wild with speculation about his future. Usman Nurmagomedov was reportedly spotted at UFC 333 at Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Arena, and streamer NazUFC noticed something that caught people’s attention. Both the undefeated Russian and Brazilian knockout artist Mauricio Ruffy appeared to be getting plenty of camera time during the event.

According to the streamer, UFC cameras and production staff repeatedly focused on the two lightweights throughout the show. Naturally, that got fans wondering whether the promotion had something planned for them.

Could Nurmagomedov and Ruffy be on the UFC’s radar for future matchups? It’s certainly an intriguing possibility, but there’s no confirmation that the promotion is planning a fight between the two just yet.

If Usman Nurmagomedov does make the jump, the UFC lightweight division will have a serious new problem on its hands. The Russian has put together an undefeated professional record and established himself as one of the best fighters outside the UFC.

After ruling the roost in Bellator and the PFL, he could finally get the chance to prove himself against the division’s biggest names. And there’s another reason a UFC move would be huge: Nurmagomedov wouldn’t be the first member of his famous fighting family to compete under the promotion’s banner.

His brother, Umar Nurmagomedov, is already on the UFC roster, while his cousin, Khabib Nurmagomedov, has retired as one of the greatest champions the promotion has ever seen.

For now, though, fans will have to wait. Dana White hasn’t promised the 28-year-old a contract or revealed whether the UFC has a particular opponent lined up for him. His message was simple: once the Russian is free to negotiate, the conversations can begin.

Usman Nurmagomedov has reportedly turned down a $2 million-per-fight offer

Usman Nurmagomedov isn’t just waiting around for the UFC to come calling. The undefeated lightweight reportedly turned down a massive $2 million-per-fight offer from the PFL, making it clear that keeping him around could take a whole lot more money.

In an August 2026 interview with Sport24, the 28-year-old opened up about his contract situation and revealed that negotiations with the PFL were still ongoing despite rejecting the reported offer.

Apparently, the Russian and his team have their sights set on a much bigger payday, and $2 million per fight simply wasn’t enough to get the job done.

“Negotiations with the PFL are still ongoing,” he said. “90 days need to pass, and then we’ll see. But I have (previously) turned down $2 million. When we made our request for a new contract, the numbers were different. Higher than $2 million.”

His manager, Ali Abdelaziz, is handling the negotiations while Nurmagomedov waits to see if the PFL is willing to meet his demands.

But turning down that kind of money doesn’t automatically mean he’s heading for the exit.

The Dagestani has confirmed that negotiations are still ongoing, and the PFL has an exclusive window to try to keep its champion before he can freely explore offers from rival promotions.

That’s where the UFC enters the picture. A move to Dana White’s promotion would give the undefeated fighter the chance to test himself against the world’s top lightweights and prove he belongs among the sport’s elite.

And with the head honcho now making it clear that the UFC is ready to talk once the contractual restrictions are out of the way, the possibility of Nurmagomedov making the jump is getting harder to ignore.

Money could ultimately decide where Usman Nurmagomedov fights next. His team reportedly wants more than the $2 million-per-fight offer he already turned down, meaning the UFC would need to come up with a seriously attractive deal to land the undefeated champion.

The PFL, meanwhile, knows exactly what it’s trying to keep hold of: a fighter who’s already become one of its biggest names. For now, though, there’s no confirmed deal with either promotion, and the 28-year-old hasn’t revealed where he’ll compete next.

Everything hinges on how the remaining contract negotiations play out and whether the PFL can meet his demands before he gets the freedom to explore other options. But one thing’s clear: the stakes are pretty high for both sides.

The UFC would be adding an undefeated champion with an established résumé  and a famous fighting surname to an already stacked lightweight division by signing Usman Nurmagomedov. But losing him would be a massive blow to the PFL’s roster.

With his reported exclusive negotiating window nearing its end, the Dagestani’s next move is shaping up to be one of the biggest stories to watch in MMA free agency.