Arman Tsarukyan has backed a plan that will see Usman Nurmagomedov remain under the PFL banner.
This past Friday, Usman Nurmagomedov continued his flawless streak in the sport when he knocked Archie Colgan out in the first round of their PFL New York main event.
Immediately after his win, calls continued for him to finally leave the PFL for the UFC with it having been the final fight on his current deal.
Despite that, not everyone is backing the 28-year-old to finally join the premier promotion where he will potentially fulfill ‘father’s plan’.
You’re Dana White and can only sign one PFL star — who are you picking? 👀
Both Usman Nurmagomedov and Dakota Ditcheva stayed undefeated at PFL New York.
Arman Tsarukyan backs call for Nurmagomedov vs. Alexander Shabily rematch
Almost immediately after his win in the Big Apple, Nurmagomedov found himself on the end of a respectful callout from his former foe, Alexander Shabily.
The pair fought back in 2024 in what was expected to be Nurmagomedov’s toughest test of his career, but he ended up picking up the unanimous decision win.
Now, Shabily has called for the 28-year-old to sign a new deal with PFL and MVP MMA following their recent merger, calling for a rematch of their title fight.
And that idea has been backed by UFC lightweight number one contender, Arman Tsarukyan, who has claimed it is the ‘only fight that makes sense’.
“We all know that in our sport, rematches can go a completely different way – just look at Petr Yan vs. Merab, or Francis Ngannou vs. Stipe Miocic,” Shabily began his callout.
“Everyone understands that if Khamzat Chimaev fights Sean Strickland a second time, or if Islam Makhachev builds a rematch with Adriano Martins, the outcome will be entirely different.
“I would like to officially ask the PFL for a rematch with Usman Nurmagomedov because I am absolutely certain our second fight will go differently. Huge congratulations to Usman – there is zero disrespect here. In fact, I believe he is currently the best lightweight in the world across all promotions, and that is the exact reason why I want this fight. I am the legitimate number one contender, and I want my rematch,” he continued.
“Only this fight makes sense!” Tsarukyan commented.
“Don’t rush,” Nurmagomedov replied to Tsarukyan.
At this point, it is unclear what Nurmagomedov’s next move will be, however, Dana White dropped a huge hint that negotiations have already begun for the Dagestani’s signature.
That could eventually lead to a potential fight against Tsarukyan, who Nurmagomedov’s coach has included in his dream UFC fights.
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