What is Next for Usman Nurmagomedov?

Usman Nurmagomedov continues to separate himself from the rest of the PFL lightweight division.

After finishing the #1 contender Alfie Davis, one of the more unorthodox strikers in the division with a third-round arm triangle, he now looks poised to defend against the #3 ranked contender Archie Colgan.

Usman has already beaten the #4 ranked contender Paul Hughes twice, more convincingly in the rematch in late 2025 after a thrilling first bout in Jan 2025. And Team Nurmagomedov has already publicly ruled out putting teammates against each other so the fight versus Gadzhi Rabadanov doesn’t look like its going to happen (nor should it with Gadzhi coming off a loss to Davis).

Usman seems to be clicking on all cylinders right now as he appears to be in his prime. Stylistically, what stands out to me the most are:

His legendary variety of kicking attacks from both static & shifting positions;

His southpaw range control, he is elite at managing distance before committing;

His ability to blend takedown entries and instigate grappling via his striking rather than just bluntly forcing takedowns;

His calm pace management, this guy never rushes;

His ability to finish fights quickly when he smells blood in the water.

I love watching Usman fight and think he is in the conversation for the best 155er in the world. If he defeats Archie Colgan, realistically, who/what is next for him?