Alfie “The Axe Man” Davis Set to Challenge Usman Nurmagomedov for PFL Lightweight Title in Dubai

On Feb. 7 in Dubai, England’s Alfie “The Axe Man” Davis will be challenging reigning champion Usman Nurmagomedov for the PFL Lightweight World Championship in the main event of PFL: Road to Dubai at the Coca-Cola Arena. Davis, who rose to prominence in Bellator before joining the PFL, earned his title shot by winning the 2025 PFL World Tournament in the lightweight division.

The upcoming fight will mark a significant moment not only for Davis but also for the league, as he will become the last PFL Lightweight Tournament Champion under the current system. The league is moving away from its tournament format, which has been a defining feature since its founding in 2017. The format helped the PFL stand out from other mixed martial arts organizations like the UFC and attracted fans familiar with traditional sports competitions.

Davis reflected on the transition, noting both the advantages and challenges of the tournament structure. “I’m mixed on my views, to be honest with you, because I competed in the tournament, and I really enjoyed the tournament structure from an athlete perspective, in terms of you get to fight in quick succession,” he said. “Obviously, you get the paycheck for each fight, and there’s a large surprise money. Also, I feel like there is a good story behind it in terms of you know exactly who you’re fighting next after, beating the next person, I think just that that structure of a tournament is quite exciting to follow.”

He acknowledged the downsides as well, including the physical demands of back-to-back fights and difficulties in promoting each matchup effectively. Davis sees the shift to a traditional fight promotion model as an opportunity to spotlight fighters and build anticipation for marquee events. “I think a more traditional approach allows you to, like, really build big fights,” he said. “I think PFL are doing really well in how they’re marketing this fight, because we’re getting a lot of exposure. And I think that we can really start telling a lot more stories … that’s the way that all sports … people are invested … not just in the sport.”

Davis, who defeated prominent fighters including Clay Collard, Brent Primus, and Gadzhi Rabadanov en route to his tournament victory, called the upcoming fight against Nurmagomedov the biggest of his career. While he praised Nurmagomedov’s skill and unbeaten record, he compared him to Rabadanov, who had been on an 11-fight winning streak. “Usman is very skilled and talented, and has got the Nurmagomedov name, but I would actually say that Gadzhi, for me, was almost equal, if not somewhat … he was definitely scarier than Usman,” Davis said.

With the title on the line and a shift in the PFL’s promotional approach, Davis will enter the fight in Dubai looking to cement his place among the sport’s top fighters and to headline a new era in the league’s history.