Mendez Will Back Usman Nurmagomedov Wherever He Signs Next

Usman Nurmagomedov has not yet decided where he will fight next, and his longtime coach has said where he stands. In an interview on October 19, AKA head coach Javier Mendez said he will back whatever promotional decision the unbeaten lightweight makes, while stressing that the final call belongs to the fighter, his management and Khabib Nurmagomedov rather than to the coaching staff.

Mendez described his own role as laying out the benefits and drawbacks of each option before stepping aside. He attached one condition: "Give them what they want, as long as it's the right path for success."

Legacy, money and the PFL case

The coach framed the choice as a balance between building a legacy in the UFC and the possibility of better pay elsewhere. He presented both as considerations, not as offers he had personally seen. If Usman does head to the UFC, Mendez said he would prefer an adjustment fight before any title opportunity, explaining that the jump brings promotional pressure rather than a higher level of skill. He also named Ilia Topuria as the toughest stylistic challenge in the lightweight field, an assessment rather than a booking.

At the same time, Mendez listed reasons to stay. He pointed to worthwhile opponents in the PFL, the marketing potential around Usman, and his expectation that Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian will improve how the league promotes its stars. He did not describe any completed agreement.

How the negotiations got here

The coach's comments follow months of negotiations. After his July 31 win over Colgan, Usman said any decision would come after talks with Khabib and the rest of his team, citing both family legacy and the need to support his own family. Dana White briefly expressed interest when asked about signing him, which was not a contract offer. In August, PFL CEO John Martin explained that the league held an exclusive negotiating window, during which the UFC could not make an offer, and said the PFL was preparing a competitive proposal to keep its champion. Usman later said he had turned down 2 million dollars and asked for more, leaving the talks in the hands of manager Ali Abdelaziz.

For now, there is no announced signing, opponent or debut date. Mendez's message is that the camp will stand behind the decision once it is made.