Abdelaziz denies Usman Nurmagomedov has signed, says PFL window still open

Ali Abdelaziz, the manager of unbeaten lightweight Usman Nurmagomedov, said on Wednesday, November 11, that reports of his client signing with another promotion are false. He posted the denial on X, as quoted by MiddleEasy and NY Fights:

Guys, the reports that Usman Nurmagomedov signed with another promotion are false.

He added: "He's still in an exclusive negotiating period with the PFL, which means he can't negotiate with any other promotion right now." He gave no date for when that period ends and no details of the terms. The PFL hasn't commented in any report we've seen.

What he was denying

The signing story never came from a named reporter. On Tuesday, MMA Sucka wrote that "unverified reports" had him signed by the UFC and possibly unveiled on the UFC 334 broadcast. It cited only "reports circulating across social media channels" and embedded an Instagram post from an MMA account.

No outlet we found reported a signing as fact, and the UFC hasn't announced anything. UFC 334 is this Saturday, November 14, at Madison Square Garden, according to Cageside Press.

The window question

Abdelaziz's account clashes with reports from late October. MMA Sucka and FightSports both wrote that the window had expired on October 29 and made him a free agent. Neither named a source. That date is 90 days after his last fight, but nobody has said when the clock actually started.

The terms may not be a fixed 90 days. In August, Abdelaziz told MMA Junkie the PFL "could... cut the time off," per MMA Sucka. That points to an early release, though, not a window running past October 29.

PFL CEO John Martin said that month that the UFC "has not given him an offer. They're not legally allowed to," per Yahoo Sports. Dana White said the UFC is waiting, as quoted by The National on October 24: "when he's a free agent, and he's able to talk to us, we're interested."

We don't expect anything on Saturday's broadcast. White tied his interest to free agency, and the only person on the record about the window this week says it hasn't arrived.

How he got here

Nurmagomedov, a cousin of Khabib Nurmagomedov, is 22-0 with one no-contest. He was Bellator's last lightweight champion and the first holder of the PFL's lightweight title, which he won from Paul Hughes in October 2025. His last fight was a first-round knockout of Archie Colgan at PFL New York on July 31, the final bout on his contract.

Abdelaziz told MMA Junkie in August that he gave the PFL a number for an extension before the Colgan fight, and the promotion didn't take it, per MMA Sucka. While negotiating with the PFL, Nurmagomedov told Sport24 he had "turned down $2 million," as cited by Heavy.

The Abu Dhabi allegation

Also on Wednesday, Merab Dvalishvili said Nurmagomedov and others attacked him and a friend in an Abu Dhabi hotel lobby. He said it happened during a Real American Freestyle media interview, according to CBS Sports. In an Instagram video, Dvalishvili said they "came like snakes from behind" and that he was fine. He is due to compete at RAF's Abu Dhabi event on Saturday.

Ilia Topuria wrote on X that Nurmagomedov "has reportedly been detained," per SB Nation, but nothing official confirms it. Ariel Helwani reported that everyone involved was at a police station for questioning, and that Dvalishvili is not pressing charges, according to SportBible. No police statement has been reported.

Nurmagomedov and his camp haven't responded in any report we've seen. Islam Makhachev took his side, writing that what happened "was started by Merab," per SB Nation.

The feud between the two camps dates to the build-up to Dvalishvili's title defence against Usman's older brother, Umar, on January 18, 2025. Dvalishvili won a five-round decision. Umar closed as a −273 favourite, about a 70% chance, and it was the first loss of his UFC career.