When Khabib Nurmagomedov was scheduled to face Tony Ferguson last year, his brother, Abubakar Nurmagomedov, couldn't wait to get a closer look at Ferguson.
The UFC had been trying to pair the two for awhile, and it was finally supposed to happen at UFC 209. Abubakar, who is signed to the Professional Fighters League, was intrigued to see Ferguson in person. He wanted an up-close view of the man who'd become his brother's rival.
Abubakar's reaction to Ferguson still makes the rest of the team laugh.
"I want to see how Tony Ferguson is looking," Abubakar told ESPN. "He talks too much. I just want to see him. And I say, 'Who is this f---ing guy, Tony Ferguson? This skinny guy? Tony Ferguson is the size of my finger. Why he talk so much? This is no good.'
"Tony Ferguson. I will put him in my pocket if he acts up too much."
Abubakar, 28, is not as famous or accomplished as his older brother Khabib (they are actually cousins but refer to one another as brothers). But he is poised to make a run in the PFL's inaugural season, which culminates in a $1 million prize at the end of the year.
Fighting out of Dagestan, Nurmagomedov (14-1) will face welterweight Pavel Kusch (22-5) at PFL 3 on Thursday in Washington. The two met as amateurs years ago. Abubakar took a loss in the first meeting, after he suffered an ankle injury.
While he is still looking to make a name for himself with his own career, Abubakar's reputation is rock solid amongst the Nurmagomedov crew.
Manager Ali Abdelaziz refers to Abubakar as "the enforcer." He's also something of an instigator. Abubakar recalls a story from his childhood in which he beat up another kid after a freestyle wrestling match but paid a price for doing so.
"The biggest fight I've ever been in? Forty people. Not 14. Forty," Abubakar said. "I fight with one guy at wrestling match, the next day he bring a lot of guys to beat me. But now we have good relationship. We shake hands. 'Hello. How are you?'"
That calm approach to a physical altercation has helped make Khabib famous, in Russia and the U.S. Of course, Khabib is also the undefeated lightweight champion of the UFC.
Abubakar, who actually came very close to signing with the UFC earlier this year, says he also wants to be remembered in MMA long after he retires. A perfect run through PFL's inaugural season certainly wouldn't hurt.
"Honestly, I would say Jake Shields and Abubakar are the top two favorites in that division," said PFL president Ray Sefo. "The good thing about this format is that it could be anybody at the end of the year. But those two guys are probably at the top."