Ali Abdelaziz says Usman Nurmagomedov can “walk through” UFC’s lightweight contenders, except for one name

Usman Nurmagomedov remains unsigned but fully positioned for an immediate UFC pursuit after exhausting his Professional Fighters League contract, and his manager, Ali Abdelaziz, is already mapping out how the UFC lightweight division should look when Nurmagomedov arrives. Abdelaziz, speaking to the idea that Nurmagomedov is built to overwhelm the division’s top options, suggested that most of the contenders would be unable to solve him, with one exception singled out as the wrinkle that could challenge the unbeaten run.

Nurmagomedov, a lightweight who is listed at 22-0, finished his PFL lightweight title run with a defense against Archie Colgan. With that contract phase completed, he is now in the negotiation limbo that follows a champion’s PFL commitment, with the PFL holding a 90-day exclusive negotiation window during which the fighter and league are positioned to negotiate prior to any broader open-market movement. That timeframe matters because it can compress how quickly the UFC can build a new matchmaking path for the sport’s next undefeated centerpiece.

The UFC, meanwhile, is not standing still. According to the Yahoo Sports report, Abdelaziz’s comments come as the UFC is also considered active in trying to secure Nurmagomedov for its roster, reflecting how the company weighs both undefeated records and stylistic match potential when shaping the next wave of title-contender depth in the lightweight class.

Abdelaziz’s specific framing, as presented in the report, is that Nurmagomedov’s advantages translate across the top end of the division. That is an important distinction in the UFC ecosystem, where “dominant” can mean different things depending on opponent strengths. In this case, Abdelaziz is effectively arguing the division is missing an answer to Nurmagomedov’s overall skill set, not merely that a single matchup could be favorable.

At the same time, the manager’s “one exception” comment is a reminder that UFC matchmaking rarely allows any fighter to be universally untouchable in practice. Lightweight is a division where top contenders frequently overlap in wrestling, grappling transitions, and high-level striking volumes. Even if a fighter’s record reflects an ability to finish, the competitive reality in the UFC is that title challengers typically share enough common traits that they can test weaknesses in different ways. The report does not fully resolve who that exception is in the lightweight field, but the emphasis itself indicates that Nurmagomedov may enter with a built-in benchmark for how his first UFC opponents will be judged.

The immediate watch point is not only when Nurmagomedov’s PFL exclusivity ends, but how the UFC responds once it has the option to proceed with negotiations and booking. If the UFC treats him as the lightweight focal point Abdelaziz implies, the opening stretch could shape the division’s pacing toward a title picture. For fans, the practical question becomes whether Nurmagomedov’s transition is matched with an opponent that tests him immediately, or whether the UFC attempts to accelerate him through a sequence designed to confirm the “walk through” premise before pushing toward championship stakes.