Arman Tsarukyan: 'Legit' Usman Nurmagomedov poses threat to UFC lightweights

Arman Tsarukyan sees PFL champion Usman Nurmagomedov as a threat to the UFC’s lightweight division.

Nurmagomedov (22-0) is now a free agent after knocking out Archie Colgan in the first-round of the PFL New York main event last month. Nurmagomedov’s teammates are pushing the undefeated 28-year-old to sign with the UFC so he can test himself, and Tsarukyan (23-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC) sees him passing those tests.

“He can beat a lot of guys in our division because stylistically he’s so good,” Tsarukyan said of Nurmagomedov on “The Ariel Helwani Show.” “He can wrestle, he can strike, but there are tough guys too, so let’s see. Let’s see who they’re going to give to him, and we’re going to see from there because in PFL there is no competition.”

Tsarukyan went as far as saying that Nurmagomedov beats UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje and almost every fighter in the division.

“There are new guys so we have to see,” Tsarukyan continued. “The guy (Quillan Salkilld) who beat Gamrot, choked out Gamrot, that guy is good. Charles Oliveira is an interesting fight, too, because Charles can do some submissions, take his back, choke him out, but he’s good everywhere, so he’s dangerous for everyone. He’s legit.”

As for potentially fighting Nurmagomedov, Tsarukyan has other goals first. He meets Mauricio Ruffy (14-2 MMA, 5-1 UFC) in the UFC 331 co-main event Sept. 19 at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles

“I’ve got to work on it, become a champion, and then we can talk,” Tsarukyan said.

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Arman Tsarukyan: ‘Legit’ Usman Nurmagomedov poses threat to UFC lightweights