Khabib Nurmagomedov has warned the UFC that he will look to sign any unhappy fighters to his new promotional label.
The Russian star is launching his own MMA promotion Eagle FC which hosts its first show this weekend.
He has already announced the acquisition of Kevin Lee, and will introduce new weight classes at 165lb and 175lb which has put the MMA world on notice.
Nurmagomedov plans to continue making a name for his label in the sport and has warned the UFC to be "careful" with their current fighters.
"Yeah I think big organisations such as UFC and Bellator have to be careful with their fighters," Nurmagomedov said during a press conference for his promotion. "Because Eagle FC is here.
"Of course we are trying to sign good and great athletes with big names, but at the same time we are working with the younger generation too, we have two goals.
'I just want to say careful because if they don't treat their fighters good, Eagle FC is here."
UFC fighters are the subject of an ongoing row over fighters pay with many of the leading star's salaries compared negatively to boxing stars.
This includes the likes of heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou who is at a contract stand-off with the promotion over issues such as pay and exploring boxing opportunities.
This also includes issues such as healthcare for fighters and pay-per-view earnings which have been used as a vehicle by YouTube star Jake Paul.
Paul has feuded with White over these issues and has made an investment in the UFC himself to try to improve conditions for fighters.
After recent footage emerged of Paul training MMA, Nurmagomedov has even extended an invitation to the YouTube star to fight in the promotion.
What do you make of Khabib Nurmagomedov's new promotion Eagles FC? Let us know in the comments section below
Nurmagomedov competed in the UFC for several years reigning undefeated in the lightweight division as champion.
After winning the belt he defeated the likes of Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier before hanging up his gloves.
He retired at the end of 2020 after defeating American star Justin Gaethje with a trademark submission to end his career without a blemish on his record.
Nurmagomedo will not include female fighters in his new promotion.
The Russian has claimed there is a lack of quality in female MMA behind the top stars and he will wait to see if he can find more talent for his label.
"I am like, we can watch what Julianna Pena did with Amanda Nunes [at UFC 269],' he said via BJPenn.com. "But Julianna Pena, she's not like greatness or something like that. She just beat Amanda Nunes like [on the day].
"We can watch and not many good [female] fighters all around the world. There are only like five or six of them. And so we will wait and see."
