MIAMI – Mixed martial artists entering free agency now have another promoter to welcome them with open arms.
Former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov who has turned MMA promoter is on the hunt for top free agents and wants the top organizations around to know he means business.
Eagle FC 44 is set to take place on Friday at the FLXcast Arena in Miami for its first show in America and the promotion has already stacked up a number of familiar names who have competed under the UFC and Bellator banners.
With fighters such as Tyrone Spong, Sergei Kharitonov, Rashad Evans, Kevin Lee, Diego Sanchez, and Ray Borg, the promotion has already proven they have an attractive platform for fighters who have spent time under the biggest banners in the sport.
Nurmagomedov and his team at Eagle FC are hoping to provide a solid alternative to the promotions that have been around for years and will be looking to add fighters who feel they have not been treated well by those promotions.
“Big organizations like UFC, Bellator, they have to be careful with their fighters because Eagle FC is here,” Nurmagomedov said at Thursday’s Eagle FC 46 press conference. “Of course, we’re trying to sign good athletes, great athletes with good names. At the same time, we’re working with the young generation too. We have two goals. I just want to say be careful. If they don’t treat good fighters, Eagle FC is here.”
One area that seems to have made an impact is the addition of the “super lightweight” 165-pound division, which provides the middle ground between lightweight and welterweight fighters. In addition, Eagle FC’s welterweight division shifts up five pounds, creating 10-pound increments between weight classes.
“I understand this game (from the) inside,” Nurmagomedov said. “I was a professional fighter last twelve years. I hear from a lot of fighters that they really want weight classes at 155, 65, 75, and 85. When I opened this Eagle FC, like, why can’t I do this? Let’s build some new history.”