- Today
- Holidays
- Birthdays
- Reminders
- Cities
- Atlanta
- Austin
- Baltimore
- Berwyn
- Beverly Hills
- Birmingham
- Boston
- Brooklyn
- Buffalo
- Charlotte
- Chicago
- Cincinnati
- Cleveland
- Columbus
- Dallas
- Denver
- Detroit
- Fort Worth
- Houston
- Indianapolis
- Knoxville
- Las Vegas
- Los Angeles
- Louisville
- Madison
- Memphis
- Miami
- Milwaukee
- Minneapolis
- Nashville
- New Orleans
- New York
- Omaha
- Orlando
- Philadelphia
- Phoenix
- Pittsburgh
- Portland
- Raleigh
- Richmond
- Rutherford
- Sacramento
- Salt Lake City
- San Antonio
- San Diego
- San Francisco
- San Jose
- Seattle
- Tampa
- Tucson
- Washington
Nurmagomedov Retains PFL Lightweight Title with Submission Win Over Davis
Russia's Usman Nurmagomedov outclasses Briton Alfie Davis before securing a third-round submission victory in Dubai.
Published on Feb. 7, 2026
Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›
Usman Nurmagomedov, the reigning PFL lightweight champion, successfully defended his title with a third-round submission win over Alfie Davis. Nurmagomedov, who extended his unbeaten record to 22 fights, dominated the fight with his striking and grappling before securing an unorthodox arm triangle choke to put Davis to sleep.
Why it matters
Nurmagomedov is considered one of the best fighters outside the UFC, and this victory further cements his status as an elite lightweight. The win also raises questions about what's next for both fighters, as Davis was the reigning PFL lightweight tournament champion but was no match for the Russian champion.
The details
Nurmagomedov marched Davis down throughout the fight, attacking with an array of kicks before securing a key takedown midway through the fight and putting him to sleep with an unorthodox arm triangle choke. Davis, who came into the fight with confidence after a recent win over Nurmagomedov's teammate, was largely outmatched and struggled to land any significant strikes against the focused Russian.
- The fight took place on February 7, 2026 in Dubai.
- Nurmagomedov secured the fight-ending submission with just over 30 seconds remaining in the third round.
The players
Usman Nurmagomedov
The 27-year-old Russian is the reigning PFL lightweight champion and extended his unbeaten record to 22 fights with this victory.
Alfie Davis
The 33-year-old British fighter was the reigning PFL lightweight tournament champion but was a heavy underdog against Nurmagomedov.
What they’re saying
“I won how I planned, I made him tired, I made him work, I made him grapple and the win was going to come.”
— Usman Nurmagomedov (Yahoo Sports)
“Thank you for my father, he is here with me. Everything I have in this life is from him.”
— Usman Nurmagomedov (Yahoo Sports)
What’s next
With no clear standout contenders, Nurmagomedov's next fight could be a trilogy bout with Paul Hughes, who lost two close fights to the champion last year. Davis, meanwhile, will not be able to defend his 2025 PFL lightweight tournament crown as the promotion is not continuing that format in 2026.
The takeaway
Nurmagomedov's dominant victory over the reigning PFL lightweight tournament champion further cements his status as one of the best lightweights outside the UFC, and raises questions about what's next for both fighters as the PFL landscape shifts.
