Usman Nurmagomedov is the hottest commodity in MMA right now.The unbeaten Russian (22-0) recently entered free agency after making quick work of Archie Colgan.Nurmagomedov blew away Colgan in the first round on Friday nightGettyIt marked the second defence of his PFL lightweight title, but with it also being the final fight on his contract, it remains unclear whether he will ever put it on the line again.PFL is set to merge with Jake Paul‘s MVP MMA in a landmark deal that would likely see Nurmagomedov receive a healthy pay rise were he to re-sign.Paul and PFL CEO John Martin have both made it clear that they want to keep working with Nurmagomedov.However, the allure of MMA’s premier promotion, the UFC, may be too much to resist.While UFC CEO Dana White remained coy on the subject, his response to being asked about whether he would be interested in signing Nurmagomedov was very revealing.“Sure,” said White with a wide grin on his face.White continued to tease fans online by posting a smiling face emoji under a video of his response.Of course, this is all up for interpretation, though it does seem that the UFC is interested, at the very least.Amidst speculation that Usman has already signed with the UFC, his cousin and coach Khabib Nurmagomedov took to Instagram to set the record straight.Khabib Nurmagomedov sheds light on cousin’s situation“Usman has shown and proven over the last couple of years that he is the best lightweight outside the UFC,” the former long-reigning UFC lightweight champion wrote.View Tweet: https://x.com/danawhite/status/2083655077634416841?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw“Not with words, but with his performances. “When I said in 2020 that Islam was the best at that time, there were many people who disagreed. “Believe me guys, there are levels to this game. “You will see for yourselves what happens next. “There will be negotiations over the next month, and very soon you will find out for yourselves which league he will continue competing in.”UFC ScheduleThere are still several blockbuster shows and exciting contests for fight fans to look forward to in 2026, and you can find the full list of all confirmed events and official bouts as part of talkSPORT.com’s UFC schedule.The UFC, on average, puts on 13 to 14 premium events in a calendar year, with up to 30 smaller ‘Fight Night’ cards allowing prospects and less experienced fighters to showcase their talents.On January 1, 2026, Dana White’s promotion signed a seven-year broadcast deal with CBS and Paramount+ for exclusive rights in the US, meaning the UFC has put on shows like never before this year.With the historic first event in the new Paramount era, UFC 324, delivering huge success, and a one-of-a-kind fight card at the White House in June opening up the UFC to a new audience, the promotion remains a premium global sports brand, and fans are eager to keep track of results and upcoming fights.