Usman Nurmagomedov welcomes ‘little short’ guy Archie Colgan to try and wrestle him: ‘He’s not going to win’

Usman Nurmagomedov is unbothered by the prospect of facing former college wrestler Archie Colgan in a PFL lightweight title defense on Friday, dismissing concerns that Colgan's grappling prowess might expose vulnerabilities in his game.

Nurmagomedov, one of the PFL's most dominant fighters, is no stranger to questions about stylistic matchups. His cousin and coach Khabib Nurmagomedov faced similar doubts throughout his career before retiring with a perfect 29-0 record, always leaving unanswered the question of how he would fare against elite wrestlers. Now Usman is ready to provide his own answer against the undefeated Colgan, who has built his reputation on exceptional wrestling credentials.

Speaking to MMA Fighting ahead of the bout, Nurmagomedov showed complete confidence in his ability to neutralize any threat Colgan presents. "He's a little short, uncomfortable fighter," Nurmagomedov said. "He's wrestling very well but I'm from Dagestan. I can wrestle, I can grapple, I can do Muay Thai. I can do anything. Whatever he will compete with me, I am going to be better at." The PFL champion emphasized his size advantage and versatility, noting his superior reach and the difficulty opponents face in taking him down. He expressed confidence he could match Colgan anywhere—on the feet or on the ground—while also suggesting he's prepared to out-wrestle his challenger if necessary.

Nurmagomedov framed the contest as a fight rather than purely a wrestling match, but acknowledged the wrestling debate could extend beyond the cage into the combat sport of RAF if spectators desired a definitive answer. More importantly, he views Colgan as an opportunity to showcase the ambitions driving his career. Nurmagomedov remains focused on the immediate task at hand, deliberately avoiding distractions about his future, particularly speculation about a potential move to the UFC following teammate Islam Makhachev's recent departure from the lightweight division.