UFC Paris Star Offers Himself as First UFC Fight for Usman Nurmagomedov

Should the UFC call "The Hangman" if the promotion manages to sign Nurmagomedov?

(Cooper Neill/PFL MMA)

One half of this weekend’s UFC Paris main event says he’d like to be the one to welcome undefeated PFL titleholder Usman Nurmagomedov to the UFC.

Set to take place this Saturday at the Accor Arena, this year’s edition of UFC Paris is loaded with plenty of French talent across 13 scheduled fights.

The card features an all-French co-main event between lightweight contenders Fares Ziam and Axel Solva, and in the main event French star and former KSW titleholder Salahdine Parnasse makes his highly-anticipated UFC debut.

Dan Hooker Targets Usman Nurmagomedov Fight After UFC Paris

Parnasse will have a chance to break straight into the UFC lightweight Top 15 when he meets Dan Hooker, who is currently sitting #12 in the division’s Meta rankings.

alin Turner (red gloves) fights Dan Hooker (blue gloves) during UFC 290 at T-Mobile Arena. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Hooker was stopped in his last two outings and will look to snap that skid when he closes out UFC Paris against Parnasse, but that hasn’t stopped “The Hangman” from offering to also welcome Nurmagomedov to the UFC at a later date.

Usman Nurmagomedov during his Bellator title reign. | (Lucas Noonan/Bellator MMA)

“It’s the same thing as when I fought [Michael] Chandler, it’s the same thing with this Parnasse guy, and it’ll be the same thing with Usman," Hooker told Submission Radio. "No one else will take the fight…People were like 'Oh, Usman’s gonna come in and fight Ilia Topuria.’ Get f***ed. Be serious. You think Ilia Topuria’s gonna take that risk of fighting an unranked, not UFC fighter…None of these other guys in the division want to risk it for the biscuit, so they call up Dan Hooker.”

"The Hangman" Enters UFC Paris Main Event on Two-Fight Skid

As noted by Hooker, UFC Paris won’t be the first time fans have seen the New Zealander welcome a high-profile former champion from another organization to the UFC Octagon.

Dan Hooker (red gloves) defeats Claudio Puelles (blue gloves) during UFC 281 at Madison Square Garden. | USA TODAY Sports

The 36-year-old was also booked to meet Bellator legend Michael Chandler in the latter fighter’s UFC debut at UFC 257, where Chandler stopped Hooker halfway through the opening round and earned himself a “Performance of the Night” bonus in the process.

Dan Hooker and Michael Chandler face off during the UFC 257 weigh-in at Etihad Arena. | USA TODAY Sports

Hooker would presumably need to defeat Parnasse this weekend in order for the UFC to consider him as an option for Nurmagomedov’s debut, but for the moment it’s also not guaranteed that the undefeated star is going to sign on with the UFC.

Usman Nurmagomedov Fought out PFL Contract in July

The cousin of UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov and younger brother of current top-ranked UFC bantamweight contender Umar Nurmagomedov, Usman previously held the Bellator lightweight title and claimed the PFL lightweight belt last October after the Bellator brand was purchased by the PFL.

Usman Nurmagomedov hasn't lost in his professional MMA career. | (Cooper Neill/Bellator MMA

Nurmagomedov brought his professional MMA record to 22-0 with a pair of title defenses this year, the latter of which came at PFL New York against Archie Colgan as the final fight on his existing contract with the PFL.

USMAN NURMAGOMEDOV WITH THE FIRST ROUND KO 😱#PFLNY | Main Card Live NOW on ESPN pic.twitter.com/mikFN1ZLFx

— PFL (@PFLMMA) August 1, 2026

News of his free agent status immediately generated speculation that undefeated star could make the jump to the UFC next, but it remains to be seen how the PFL’s merger with MVP MMA or Nurmagomedov’s viral altercation with Song Yadong at UFC Shanghai last weekend may influence potential negotiations with the UFC.