UFC bantamweight contender Umar Nurmagomedov has an idea of who could inherit the promotion's lightweight crown from Islam Makhachev upon the conclusion of his career.
Makhachev has occupied the throne at 155 pounds since UFC 280 in 2022, where he emphatically got the better of former champ Charles Oliveira, first dropping "Do Bronx" and then finding the submission in round two.
The Russian has since successfully defended the gold three times, brushing away two challenges from then-featherweight kingpin Alexander Volkanovski in 2023 before stalling the late-career title ambitions of Dustin Poirier at UFC 302 in Newark this past June.
The reign of Makhachev is far from over, with a rematch against Arman Tsarukyan expected to serve as his next task. Beyond that, a potential shot at two-division glory up at welterweight could be on the cards depending on if frequent training partner Belal Muhammad remains champion.
But given how his friend and mentor Khabib Nurmagomedov departed the sport on top, comparisons with "The Eagle" have included talk of such a departure for Makhachev, who has already tied Khabib for most lightweight title wins and consecutive defenses.
When the reigning king does decide to relinquish his grip on the crown at 155 pounds, it would appear that his team already have plans for the division's future — and they include the UFC poaching one of the PFL's best...
Umar Reveals Plans For Nurmagomedov Takeover Post-Makhachev
During an interview with Hosheh MMA prior to his latest victory at the UFC Fight Night in Abu Dhabi this past weekend, Nurmagomedov was asked to predict the next UFC lightweight champion after Makhachev.
Before the current titleholder reached the mountaintop, the plan had long been laid out by Khabib, Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov, and their team for Makhachev to succeed "The Eagle."
Now, Usman Nurmagomedov is the highly regarded lightweight seemingly lying in waiting.
After Islam? We have plans for Usman," Umar Nurmagomedov said. "Yes, (Usman will come to the UFC). Why not? I don't know what's going to be in the future, but that's the goal.
Usman currently rules as the Bellator 155-pound champ, now under the banner of the Professional Fighters League (PFL). The undefeated Dagestani won the belt from Patricky Pitbull in 2022 and subsequently defended it against Benson Henderson.
Most recently, Nurmagomedov had a victory over Brent Primus overturned after he tested positive for a banned substance in a prescription drug. He's set to return from suspension to defend against Alexandr Shabliy at the Bellator Champions Series event in San Diego next month.