Nurmagomedov retired at the age of 32 as the undefeated and
undisputed
Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight champion. Makhachev
then surpassed his mentor's accomplishments at 155 pounds before
claiming gold at 170 pounds. The reigning welterweight king has no
intentions of stopping anytime soon.

Islam Makhachev discusses UFC 330 title defense, Anderson Silva
record chase and future goals

Makhachev is set to defend his welterweight title for the first
time when he meets Ian Garry in
the UFC
330 headliner on Aug. 15 in Philadelphia. Ahead of his first
title defense at 170 pounds, the Dagestani made it clear that early
retirement isn't part of his plans. While a victory over Garry will
see Makhachev break the Octagon record for most consecutive wins,
he's looking to extend the record and further cement his
legacy.

“I am the best fighter in the world, but I want to be the best
fighter to ever do this,†Makhachev said during a UFC 330
promotional video broadcast during
UFC Belgrade. “I have to beat Garry to beat Anderson
Silva’s record. And it’s not going to be just 17 [wins in a
row], it’s going to be many more. I am the best fighter in the
world. I’m going to show it in Philadelphia.â€

Following a promise made to his mother, Nurmagomedov retired months
after the death of his father and coach, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov.
“The Eagle†has since weighed in on Makhachev’s future, previously
revealing that the latter only has a few more fights left, but the
reigning welterweight champ's latest comments suggest otherwise.

Usman Nurmagomedov is now MMA's most prized free agent. | 📷: PFL
MMA

Usman
Nurmagomedov has emerged as the most sought-after free agent in
mixed martial arts after completing his contract with the
Professional Fighters League.

Comments from
Ultimate Fighting Championship CEO Dana
White and Usman's cousin, UFC Hall of Famer Khabib
Nurmagomedov, suggest his next move could be unveiled soon.

Khabib Nurmagomedov reveals negotiations on Usman
Nurmagomedov's future will commence ‘soon'

Nurmagomedov further extended his perfect record and added to his
value as a free agent with his dominant victory over Archie
Colgan at
PFL New York. While a UFC move is rumored, re-signing with the
PFL could be a possibility amid the promotion's merger with

Most Valuable Promotions.

Notably, PFL CEO John Martin and MVP co-founder Jake Paul
have publicly expressed their desire to retain the undefeated
lightweight champion. However, when asked about Usman following

UFC Belgrade, White confirmed the UFC's interest in the Russian
and later doubled down on the claim with a subtle hint in a social
media post, sharing a smiling emoji.

Khabib also weighed in on Usman's future. In an Instagram post, the
former UFC lightweight champion revealed that negotiations will be
held soon.

“Usman has shown and proven over the last couple of years that he
is the best lightweight outside the UFC,†Khabib wrote on
Instagram. “Not with words, but with his performances. When I said
in 2020 that Islam was the best at that time, there were many
people who disagreed. Believe me guys, there are levels to this
game. You will see for yourselves what happens next. There will be
negotiations over the next month, and very soon you will find out
for yourselves which league he will continue competing in.â€

An elite
middleweight clash headlines PFL Charlotte: Tune on Friday, Aug. 7
at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN.

Ultimate Fighting Championship talent.

The freestyle wrestling promotion recently announced that
Sharabutdin “Shara Bullet” Magomedov has signed with RAF. He joins
other current UFC stars like Merab
Dvalishvili, Belal
Muhammad and Khamzat
Chimaev in joining the promotion.

Shara Bullet Magomedov becomes latest UFC fighter to join RAF
crossover wrestling

Magomedov's arrival at RAF comes after the promotion recently
introduced its crossover championship titles, allowing active MMA
fighters to compete for belts separate from the promotion’s elite
freestyle wrestlers.

Magomedov owns a 17-1 professional MMA record and has established
himself as a fan favorite in the UFC’s middleweight division. After
opening his career with 15 consecutive victories, “Shara Bullet”
suffered his first professional loss via decision to Michael
Page before rebounding with back-to-back wins over Michel
Pereira and Marc-Andre
Barriault.

The 31-year-old has also competed in grappling competitions outside
MMA, making the transition to RAF’s crossover format a natural fit.
He has previously faced Edson
Barboza and Arman
Tsarukyan on the mat.

RAF has continued to expand aggressively in recent months, adding
several recognizable UFC names while staging crossover events
featuring former champions and established contenders.