Britain's Davis to fight Nurmagomedov for PFL title

Britain's Alfie Davis will fight Russia's Usman Nurmagomedov for the PFL lightweight title in Dubai on 7 February.

The bout will be 33-year-old Davis' first since he beat Gadzhi Rabadanov in the PFL lightweight tournament final in August to win $500,000 (£369,000).

Nurmagomedov, 27, fought last month, earning a narrow win over Irishman Paul Hughes to make his fourth defence as champion.

After the bout, Nurmagomedov called out Davis, saying "anytime, anywhere, I am waiting for you".

Nurmagomedov, the cousin of retired former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, will be the favourite for the bout at the Coca-Cola Arena.

Nurmagomedov is undefeated, winning 20 professional fights, and enters the contest on the back of two tight decision wins over Hughes.

Davis upset the odds against Nurmagomedov's team-mate Radadanov three months ago.

He is enjoying the best spell of his career and described the prize money he earned from winning the tournament as "life-changing".

Davis is the third Briton to win an annual PFL tournament after featherweight Brendan Loughnane in 2022 and women's flyweight Dakota Ditcheva last year.

"Usman Nurmagomedov is an undefeated and dominant superstar who will mark his third appearance as the headliner in Dubai, but this time a fresh challenge awaits him in the opposite corner," said PFL CEO John Martin.

"Alfie Davis continually defies the odds and will look to do it once more on the biggest stage."