Professional Fighters League lightweight champion Usman
Nurmagomedov secured his first stoppage win in nearly three
years after submitting Alfie Davis
via arm triangle in the third round (4:41) of Saturday’s
PFL Dubai main event at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, United
Arab Emirates.
Nurmagomedov (21-0, 3-0 PFL) entered as a massive favorite against
the PFL Tournament champion, but showed respect early for The Axe
Man’s diverse striking background. Davis (20-6-1, 3-2 PFL) fought
loose against the undefeated kingpin from Dagestan. The Englishman
cracked smiles and fired off axe kicks as Davis hoped to catch
Nurmagomedov with a spectacular shot, but the champ wasn’t having
it. Nurmagomedov fought aggressively but calculated, blasting Davis
with leg and body kicks to make him circle around the ring nonstop.
Nurmagomedov would put Davis out of his misery late in the third
round, securing a double leg near the fence, where he would
eventually climb to Davis’ back and finish him with a python-like
squeeze.
With his loaded camp of coaches, including
Ultimate Fighting Championship legend Khabib
Nurmagomedov and reigning welterweight champion Islam
Makhachev, Nurmagomedov handled business as usual but hopes to
take some time off before looking ahead to another potential title
defense.
USMAN NURMAGOMEDOV CHOKES OUT ALFIE DAVIS TO
DEFEND THE TITLE 😱🏆#RoadToDubai
| LIVE NOW | 📺Streaming on the ESPN App: pic.twitter.com/8CZn9bJScR— PFL (@PFLMMA)
February 7, 2026
Kuramagomedov Takes Vacant Welterweight Title
In a battle of unbeaten Russians, Ramazan
Kuramagomedov outworked Shamil
Musaev over five rounds to claim the PFL welterweight
championship. Kurmagomedov (14-0, 1-0 PFL) entered as the underdog
but left as the champion by bullying Musaev early in the clinch.
“The Silent Assassin” grew frustrated by Kurmagomedov’s top
strength and sneaky knees on the inside.
As the fight wore on, Kurmagomedov’s confidence grew, but Musaev
refused to yield. Kurmagomedov nearly submitted Musaev in the third
round, but the former PFL Tournament champion proved his mettle by
fighting through the rear-naked choke and taking the fight the
distance. Musaev (18-1-1, 4-1 PFL) finished the contest strong, but
with an early deficit and a deducted point in the fourth round for
an illegal knee to a grounded opponent, there was no way Musaev was
going to edge out his fellow countryman on the scorecards.
With the win, Kuramagomedov will look ahead to a potential showdown
with reigning PFL welterweight tournament champion Thad
Jean.
Abdoul
Abdouraguimov reigned again with his 10th straight win.
Abdouraguimov dug deep to defeat athletic American Kendly St.
Louis by split decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27). The
welterweights were well matched as Abdouraguimov (20-1, 4-0 PFL)
struggled to halt St. Louis’ forward momentum, but routinely landed
sneaky shots on the move. St. Louis (11-6, 3-2 PFL) was a
stubborn opponent who didn’t stop looking for an advantage. He
fought for takedowns, but Abdouraguimov responded with submission
attempts. When St. Louis pressed forward the Lazy King made him pay
with low kicks. Whatever St. Louis threw at Abdouraguimov, the
Frenchman had an answer to keep him in control of the fight and
ahead on the scorecards.
One of the most highly anticipated showdowns of the afternoon took
place between former PFL featherweight tournament winner Jesus
Pinedo and undefeated prospect Salamat
Isbulaev from Kazakhstan. Pinedo, who is usually one of the
more aggressive fighters in the sport, was uncharacteristically gun
shy in the opening stanza. Referee John McCarthy demanded
engagement, but Pinedo (25-8-1, 5-3 PFL) was out of sorts. The
disappointing performance would end just moments later when Pinedo
surrendered a takedown in the final minute of the first round,
which Isabulaev (10-0, 1-0 PFL) would upgrade to a crucifix.
With seconds remaining in the stanza Isbulaev forced a TKO
(submission to elbows) with his wicked
ground-and-pound.
Heavyweights continued the action with a two-round scrap between
the unbeaten Pouya
Rahmani and Karl
Williams. Despite Williams (10-5, 0-3 PFL) edge in experience,
the Virgin Islands native couldn’t find any momentum against
Rahmani early in the fight. He couldn’t stop the jab or circle out
of the way of Rahmani’s power. After settling into the fight,
Rahmani (6-0, 2-0 PFL)
would end it in the second round after turning Williams ill-advised
takedown attempt into a savvy arm-triangle
submission.
Undefeated lightweight Amru
Magomedov improved to 9-0 without breaking a sweat against
Kolton
Englund. “Big” John McCarthy was forced to intervene a mere 37
seconds into the bout after Englund (15-5, 0-1 PFL) was crippled by
a debilitating body kick that sent him reeling into the fence.
Magomedov would toss him to the mat like a disobedient child and
viciously inform him that he was not on his level.
French bantamweight Taylor
Lapilus picked up one of the best wins of his career by
starching Kasum
Kasumov in the third round (0:47). Lapilus (24-4, 3-0 PFL)
controlled the action early with his superior hand speed and
balance in the clinch. Kasumov (15-3, 0-2 PFL) struggled to find a
leg or an opening to exploit Lapilus and only managed to open
himself to more punishment.
Lapilus would cap off his impressive performance with a stellar TKO
in the final round by sending Kasumov to the ground
with a dynamite left hand and a series of hammerfists that forced
referee Kerry Hatley to intervene.
Two World Title Fights
headline PFL Road to Dubai! Tune in LIVE Saturday, Feb. 7 at 12
p.m. ET.
Renat
Khavalov kept his unbeaten record in tact with a dominant three
round decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) over Edgars
Skrivers in bantamweight action. Khavalov (11-0, 3-0 PFL)
controlled the action from the start with lightning fast level
changes that opened up his wrestling. Khavalov’s had Skrivers in
fits trying to keep the fight standing. Whether it was a double
leg, sweep or suplex, Khavalov proved to Skrivers (17-5, 0-1 PFL)
that he could put the fight on the canvas whenever he wanted.
Lightweight veterans Makkasharip
Zaynukov and Amin Ayoub
delivered a battle to remember. After trading haymakers for 15
minutes, Zaynukov (19-4, 4-0 PFL) walked away with the unanimous
decision win (30-27, 29-28, 30-27). Despite the clear win on the
cards, Zaynukov’s win was far from easy. France’s Ayoub (24-7-1,
1-1) landed flush right hands and left hooks when he wasn’t dealing
with his own punishment. It was a back-and-forth scrap but
Zaynukov’s power and precision carried the bout en route to the
win.
Coming off a 27-month layoff, Denise
Kielholtz got back to her winning ways with a unanimous
decision win (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) over Antonia
Silvaneide in flyweight action. Kielholtz (9-5, 1-0 PFL)
stepped away from fighting to focus on motherhood, but she put
Silvaneide in a timeout Saturday. The former Bellator
MMA title contender floated around the cage and outstruck the
Brazilian at long range. Silvaneide (9-5, 0-1 PFL) fought hard to
keep her five-fight win streak intact, but the 36-year-old
Kielholtz was too slick for the PFL debutant to contain.
Luke
Trainer entered the SmartCage with a four-fight win streak and
left with the biggest win of his career after submitting the always
dangerous “Razor” Rob
Wilkinson in the first round of their light heavyweight
showcase (3:48). Trainer (10-1, 1-0 PFL) found himself pressed
against the cage early against the former PFL Tournament champ, but
showed great poise in reversing position. Wilkinson (19-5, 6-3 PFL)
tried to force the issue and take the Englishman to the mat, but
would ultimately play into his own doom. With Wilkinson’s neck
exposed,
Trainer seized his guillotine while Wilkinson rolled for his life
until it was too late.
Unbeaten light heavyweight prospect Khabib
Nabiev made a statement in his PFL debut with a dominant
second-round TKO (2:26) win over Ahmed Sami.
Nabiev (12-0, 1-0 PFL) spent most of the first round chest-to-chest
with the Egyptian in the clinch. Nabiev snuck in quick knees and
labored for positioning, but Sami didn’t make it easy for him.
Heading into the second round, Nabiev prioritized taking the fight
to the ground, and he would succeed with a well-timed double-leg.
Nabiev would cut Sami with an elbow from half guard before fully
mounting his foe.
Sami (12-5, 1-1 PFL) took punishment from above until referee
Basheer Reda mercifully called the bout.
Jhony
Gregory opened the PFL Dubai card with a swift first-round
submission win (1:17) over Haider Khan
in middleweight action. Gregory (11-4, 1-1) earned his first win in
the PFL SmartCage despite eating a hard left hook early in the
fight. Khan (10-2, 2-1 PFL) hoped to take the fight to the ground,
but fell into a guillotine after getting the takedown.
Gregory would seize his opportunity by rolling into mount and
squeezing the submission home.