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Usman Nurmagomedov welcomes ‘little short’ guy Archie Colgan to try and wrestle him: ‘He’s not going to win’

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3 months ago

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Usman Nurmagomedov welcomes ‘little short’ guy Archie Colgan to try and wrestle him: ‘He’s not going to win’

Usman Nurmagomedov has been one of the most dominant fighters in the PFL but much like his coach and cousin Khabib Nurmagomedov, there's always going to be certain stylistic matchups that makes it look like he's vulnerable.

Throughout Khabib's illustrious career, the question always came up ‘what happens if he faces a dominant wrestler?' The former UFC lightweight champion answered by putting together a perfect 29-0 record before retiring from the sport to focus on coaching.

Now it's Usman's turn to provide his own answers as he takes on former college wrestler turned top lightweight contender Archie Colgan in his latest title defense. But don't expect the reigning PFL lightweight king to show any fear going up against another wrestler in his latest title defense.

“He's a little short, uncomfortable fighter,†Nurmagomedov said about Colgan when speaking to MMA Fighting. “He's wrestling very well but I'm from Dagestsan. I can wrestle, I can grapple, I can do Muay Thai. I can do anything. Whatever he will compete with me, I am going to be better at. All respect for Archie and his team. He's not going to win.

“I don't think he's going to take me down. This is very hard to take me down, to be honest. I know how I have to fight with little short guys. I always love to fight with the little short guys. I have a longer reach. I can control everything.â€

While the wrestling question is going to come up often leading into this main event clash, Nurmagomedov is quick to point out that he's not wrestling Colgan — they are fighting. Nurmagomedov is confident he can match Colgan anywhere on the feet or on the ground and if they want to settle the wrestling debate there's another way that can happen.

“I think I'm going to grapple with him, too,†Nurmagomedov said. “I think I can take him down. My wrestling is not bad. We can do it like this. I'm going to beat him or knock him down, I know I'm going to beat this guy. For the people if they want to see who is better in the wrestling, we can do it in RAF.â€

If anything, Nurmagomedov really hopes that Colgan can bring out the best in him because that's what he always wants when he's going out to defend his title.

“I think I have a big potential inside of me,†Nurmagomedov said. “I have very big ambitions. I just need somebody with who I can show this for the people.â€

As far as the future goes, Nurmagomedov is undoubtedly going to be bombarded with questions about what comes next as he competes on Friday's PFL card on the final fight of his contract.

There's been heavy speculation that Nurmagomedov plans to leave PFL and sign with the UFC, especially now that his teammate and friend Islam Makhachev left the lightweight division to compete at welterweight instead.

Nurmagomedov hasn't made any decisions yet and he's doing his absolute best to shut out all the noise until after his fight.

He knows getting distracted is the perfect recipe for disaster if he's not putting his full focus on Colgan and the fight directly ahead of him.

“Archie, he's undefeated,†Nurmagomedov said. “You can't stay like this for a long time [being undefeated] if you're not in the top five. That's why he's the No. 1 contender and of course, he wants to take everything what I have.

“I don't want to look ahead and thinking about the future for my career. I have a fight. I have a name. We're going to fight. I have a fight and we have to do this.â€

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Johnny Walker wanted to take it slow at heavyweight, then UFC called

Published

8 hours ago

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November 8, 2026

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Johnny Walker wanted to take it slow at heavyweight, then UFC called
Johnny
Walker's heavyweight run is going faster than he planned.

Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweights Sean Brady
and Gabriel
Bonfim were originally scheduled to headline
UFC Vegas 124 on Nov. 7 at Meta Apex in Las Vegas. However,
Brady pulled out because of a severe staph infection and the
promotion didn't book a replacement to keep Bonfim on the card.
Walker then accepted the headlining matchup against Waldo
Cortes-Acosta on nine days' notice.

What a victory over Waldo Cortes-Acosta could mean for Johnny
Walker

Walker (23-10, 1 NC) made his heavyweight debut against Mick Parkin
in October, scoring a bonus-winning first-round knockout. The
former light heavyweight recently revealed he originally wanted to
take things slow in his new weight class.

“I was thinking to take small steps and go slow in the division,â€
Walker said at media day ahead of UFC Vegas 124. “See how I feel at
heavyweight. That was my plan. God had different plans than me. God
has better plans for me.â€

Cortes-Acosta (17-4) was riding a three-fight win streak before
losing to Alexander
Volkov and Curtis
Blaydes this year. A win over “Salsa Boy†will launch Walker
into the heavyweight Top 10 in just his second appearance in the
division.

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Ilia Topuria goes in on Paddy Pimblett, open to coaching against him on The Ultimate Fighter

Published

9 hours ago

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November 8, 2026

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Ilia Topuria goes in on Paddy Pimblett, open to coaching against him on The Ultimate Fighter

Ilia Topuria and Paddy Pimblett might finally be ready to fight each other.

For years, Topuria and Pimblett have been embroiled in a heated rivalry, but the two have yet to settle things in the cage. After Topuria won the lightweight title last year, Pimblett even entered the cage to set up a showdown between the two. Ultimately, that never materialized as Topuria took time off for personal reasons and Pimblett lost an interim lightweight title fight with Justin Gaethje in January.

But after Topuria also lost to Gaethje in their title unification bout at UFC White House, the path is now clear for the two to settle their bad blood, and Topuria says there's even the possibility that their rivalry will headline the next season of The Ultimate Fighter.

“Paddy, Paddy, Paddy… I'll eat him up like the sausage he is!†Topuria told ABC.es. “There are no easy opponents. Paddy's a guy to be reckoned with, but come on, with that head of his, you just aim the punch that way and hit him.

“I've heard some rumors [about The Ultimate Fighter], but I haven't had any conversations with the UFC. I don't know what their interests are. When we resume talks with them, we'll see if we're on the same page. There are still good times ahead, but what matters most to me is getting back to training, feeling healthy and well, and then we'll be ready for whatever comes up.â€

While there's still no official word on whether or not the UFC is interested in Topuria and Pimblett coaching opposite each other on The Ultimate Fighter, Pimblett has also called for it, suggesting the two could “bring the ratings back†to the program. Also, unsurprisingly, Pimblett thinks he would get the better of Topuria, both on the show and in the cage, which Topuria disputes.

â€If you listen to him, he'll say, ‘He beats me at everything,' but I beat him at anything I want,†Topuria said. “After a loss, it's hard to talk about these things, but Paddy, on the ground, just grappling, doesn't win a single point against me. He doesn't take me down, he doesn't pass my guard, he doesn't do anything. I don't see him as being any better than me on the ground. He's a pushover, he's got a sausage body, he thinks his size gives him an advantage, but he can't do anything.

“He's not like Justin. Justin is a dog; he knows how to dodge punches, he's very experienced, and he's very freestyle. He does things that, to me, are poorly executed, but they're effective. Paddy has nothing, no knockout punch, no unexpected takedowns, no submissions out of nowhere. Paddy is very predictable; you can see his intentions.â€

And if the Pimblett fight does materialize and Topuria looks as impressive as he thinks he will, then “El Matador†believes that even the welterweight title fight with Islam Makhachev that he lost when Gaethje upset him could be back on the table.

“Everything can make sense again, of course,†Topuria said. “Yeah, it's going out there for my next fight, knocking out Paddy, and everyone's going to be like, ‘WOW, look how focused Ilia is!' You're only as good as your last fight.â€

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UFC Vegas 124: 'Cortes-Acosta vs. Walker' Live Results and Highlights

Published

22 hours ago

on

November 7, 2026

By

UFC Vegas 124: 'Cortes-Acosta vs. Walker' Live Results and Highlights
Trending:

Dricus du Plessis' move to light heavyweight teased by next potential opponent

The Octagon remains at the Apex for tonight's UFC Vegas 124 event, a 14-bout fight card headlined by Waldo Cortes-Acosta vs. Johnny Walker.

Cortes-Acosta (17-4 MMA) will enter this evening's main event with hopes of snapping a two-fight losing skid. ‘Salsa Boy' is coming off unanimous decision losses to Curtis Blaydes and Alexander Volkov in his most recent Octagon appearances. Prior to those setbacks, Waldo had strung together three straight stoppage wins, including a second-round TKO victory over Derrick Lewis.

Meanwhile, Johnny Walker (23-10 MMA) made his return to heavyweight last month and scored first-round knockout victory over Mick Parkin. The 34-year-old Brazilian has gone 2-3 over his past five fights overall.

UFC Vegas 124 is co-headlined by a women's strawweight bout between perennial division contenders Tatiana Suarez and Virna Jandiroba.

Suarez (12-1 MMA) will enter the contest on a two-fight winning streak, this after scoring victories over Amanda Lemos and Loopy Godinez in her most recent Octagon appearances. Prior to those triumphs, Tatiana had suffered her first career loss at the hands of Weili Zhang in a bout for the women's strawweight title.

Meanwhile, Virna Jandiroba (23-4 MMA) most previously competed this past April, where she scored a unanimous decision victory over Tabatha Ricci. Prior to that, ‘Carcará' dropped a decision to Mackenzie Dern in a fight for the promotion's then vacant strawweight title at UFC 321.

Get all of tonight's live results and highlights below (refresh for updates):

UFC Vegas 124 Main Card (8pm EST on Paramount+)

265 lbs: Waldo Cortes-Acosta vs. Johnny Walker – Walker def. Cortes-Acosta via TKO at 2:27 of Round 3

115 lbs: Tatiana Suarez vs. Virna Jandiroba – Suarez def. Jandiroba by unanimous decision (30-27 x2, 29-28)

135 lbs: Davey Grant vs. Elijah Smith – Smith def. Grant via KO (punches) at 1:00 of Round 1

205 lbs: Billy Elekana vs. Lucas Fernando – Fernando def. Elekana by unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

135 lbs: Priscila Cachoeira vs. Nina Milosevic – Milosevic def. Cachoeira via TKO (elbows and punches) at 3:40 of Round 2

125 lbs: Mitch Raposo vs. Marcos Degli – Raposo def. Degli by unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

UFC Vegas 124 Prelims (5pm EST on Paramount+)

145 lbs: Ollie Schmid vs. Keiichiro Nakamura – Schmid def. Nakamura by unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

265 lbs: Thomas Petersen vs. Gabriel Lorenco – Peterson def. via TKO (punches) at 4:47 of Round 3

125 lbs: Karine Silva vs. Gabriella Fernandes – Silva def. Fernandes by unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

145 lbs: Murtazali Magomedov vs. Jose Delano – Magomedov def. Delano by unanimous decision (29-28 x3)

145 lbs: Austin Bashi vs. Carlos Calderon – Bashi def. Calderon via submission (rear naked choke) at 1:07 of Round 1

185 lbs: Andre Petroski vs. Mantas Kondratavicius – Petroski def. Kondratavicius via TKO (ground and pound) at 4:39 of Round 2

170 lbs: Seokhyeon Ko vs. Wellington Turman – Ko def. Turman by unanimous decision (30-27 x3)

170 lbs: Jose Souza vs. Jonny Parsons – Souza def. Parsons via KO (punches) at 4:16 of Round 2

Who are you picking to emerge victorious in tonight's heavyweight main event between Waldo Cortes-Acosta and Johnny Walker? Share your predictions in the comment section Penn Nation!

This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM

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