Henry Cejudo has drawn attention to the extraordinary influence that Usman Nurmagomedov has developed in the UFC realm.

Usman Nurmagomedov is hailed by many as one of the very best MMA fighters today, albeit he’s yet to compete in the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization, the UFC. 

Former UFC flyweight and bantamweight champion Henry Cejudo has chimed in with his assessment of the incredible influence Nurmagomedov asserts in UFC discussions despite not even having signed with the promotion as of yet. 

Usman Nurmagomedov completed his PFL deal’s final fight; elicited mixed reactions from the MMA community with his actions at UFC Shanghai

Usman Nurmagomedov just so happens to be the younger brother of UFC bantamweight contender and one-time title challenger, Umar Nurmagomedov. Additionally, Usman and Umar are cousins of UFC Hall of Famer and former UFC lightweight champion, Khabib Nurmagomedov. 

The 28-year-old Usman is the final Bellator MMA lightweight champion and the reigning PFL MMA lightweight titleholder, having last KO’d the then-unbeaten Archie Colgan at PFL New York on July 31. It marked the Dagestani fighter’s second defense of the PFL lightweight belt, as well as the final fight of his PFL contract.

The PFL, which recently merged with the Jake Paul-founded MVP MMA, does have a 90-day exclusive negotiation window with him, dating back to his last fight. Nevertheless, rumors are rife that Nurmagomedov is headed to the UFC, having admittedly turned down a multi-million-dollar offer from the PFL. He’s expected to officially negotiate with and likely join the UFC after the aforementioned 90-day window ends. 

Moreover, he served as a cornerman for his brother Umar’s main event matchup against Song Yadong at UFC Shanghai on August 29. China’s Yadong scored a thunderous knockout of Umar, which led to Usman scaling the Octagon fence to approach his brother. It almost caused a collision and an alleged elbow strike from Usman to Yadong. His actions were condemned by many, whilst also making him one of the most talked-about persons from the UFC Shanghai event. 

Henry Cejudo highlights Usman Nurmagomedov‘s tremendous influence in the UFC realm; feels his PFL exit would hurt the organization

On the Pound 4 Pound podcast — hosted by ex-UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman and freestyle wrestling Olympic gold medalist and UFC veteran Henry Cejudo — Usman Nurmagomedov was a prominent topic of discussion. 

Alluding to the young fighter’s significance and power in the current MMA landscape, Cejudo stated, “At the end of the day, Kamaru, I will say something about Usman Nurmagomedov. We are talking about him.” 

He continued, “I mean, from him becoming a free agent with MVP to him jumping over the cage to consult with his brother — I mean, guys, regardless of what it is, this guy is not even in the UFC. He’s being talked about the most out of anybody in the UFC right now. So he’s doing something right.” 

Cejudo also indicated that Usman leaving the PFL would hurt the PFL (soon-to-be MVP MMA) organization. “Triple C” said, “He leaves the PFL, Kamaru? The PFL is finished, straight up.” 

Moreover, Kamaru Usman appeared to speculate about whether Usman Nurmagomedov would be accorded an immediate UFC lightweight title shot upon signing with the UFC. Cejudo responded by predicting that he probably would, simply saying, “Yes.” 

Watch Henry Cejudo address Usman Nurmagomedov’s effect in the UFC sphere and more below (*comments at the 14:56-minute mark of the video):