Javier Mendez believes Usman Nurmagomedov would likely be matched up with a top-ranked lightweight if the PFL champion signs with the UFC, though he admits he has no idea who the promotion would ultimately choose.
Nurmagomedov strengthened his case as one of the world's top lightweights on Friday, knocking out Archie Colgan at PFL New York in what was the final fight on his current contract with the promotion. With speculation growing that the undefeated champion could make the move to the UFC, Mendez discussed several potential opponents during an appearance on Submission Radio.
"If he does jump in, I'm looking at the top two dogs, if he jumps in," Mendez said. "Someone like an (Arman) Tsarukyan, someone like an (Ilia) Topuria. Those are the two that I look at as the dream fights, you know? Not 'dream' fights, but the fights to want to have, how it's going to work if we do jump over. And that's on Usman, not on me."
While Mendez would welcome matchups against the division's elite, he suspects the UFC could take a different approach.
"They're probably going to give us someone like a Paddy (Pimblett), someone of that stature, which is fine too or maybe Max Holloway, who knows?" Mendez said. "But it's going to be somebody in the top five, I believe. But I don't believe it's going to be one of Tsarukyan. It could be Tsarukyan for definite because he's not the champ, so it could be. But I don't think Topuria would be on the list."
Despite offering his thoughts on possible opponents, Mendez stressed that he has no involvement in any discussions regarding Nurmagomedov's future.
"But I don't know. I'm never in negotiations," Mendez said. "So here I am trying to play like I know who they're going to pick. I don't know."
Nurmagomedov's dominant victory over Colgan capped off his current PFL run and has only intensified speculation that the lightweight champion could soon test himself against the UFC's top contenders.
