{"id":456678,"date":"2026-02-03T23:48:09","date_gmt":"2026-02-03T23:48:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/456678\/"},"modified":"2026-02-03T23:48:09","modified_gmt":"2026-02-03T23:48:09","slug":"usman-nurmagomedov-alfie-davis-exchange-barbs-before-title-fight","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/456678\/","title":{"rendered":"Usman Nurmagomedov, Alfie Davis Exchange Barbs Before Title Fight"},"content":{"rendered":"<p id=\"inline-text-0\" class=\"mt-[18px] md:mt-0 mb-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"4x\">Defending PFL Lightweight Champion Usman Nurmagomedov makes his return to the PFL SmartCage this Saturday against Alfie Davis in the main event of the promotion&#8217;s first event of the year from Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, to top a 13-fight card on ESPN Unlimited (subscription required).<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-1\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"50\">In the lead-up to Nurmagomedov vs. Davis, the promotion has put together a multi-part series chronicling both fighters, with the four released episodes down below. Each discusses a different aspect of their upbringing, how the fight came together, and what it would mean for both of their career legacies.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/01jt3z6mmsqgpe691b46.jpg\" alt=\"PFL\" title=\"PFL\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" class=\"undefined w-full w-full blur-[5px]\" q:id=\"5a\"\/><\/p>\n<p>PFL<\/p>\n<p>Episode 1: PFL Road to Dubai: Nurmagomedov vs. DavisEpisode 2: PFL Road to Dubai: Nurmagomedov vs. DavisEpisode 3: PFL Road to Dubai: Ramazan Kuramagomedov vs. Shamil MusaevEpisode 4: PFL Road to Dubai: Discipline vs. Disruption<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-11\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"66\">Supplementing the documentary series, though, are a series of storylines entering the main event. Davis (20-5-1 MMA) vows to shock the world and do so at the expense of former UFC Lightweight Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, who will be there to watch it happen.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-12\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"69\">&#8220;My fighting style is quite unpredictable, because at times I don\u2019t know what I\u2019m going to do either,&#8221; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DUL9YNvDXPF\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Davis said during the second episode.<\/a> &#8220;When I get into a flow state, start dancing and enjoying myself, things come out. It makes me a hard fighter to game plan for and to find training partners to replicate. The Dagestanis have this aura about them that they\u2019re unbeatable killers. But we all know everyone is human, a team is a team. This is the fight business. You only get what you put in.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-13\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"6c\">READ MORE: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/fannation\/mma\/news\/mma-fans-stunned-ufc-mercilessly-pulls-injured-shavkat-rakhmonov-ufc-rankings\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">MMA Fans Stunned as UFC Mercilessly Pulls Injured Star From Official UFC Rankings<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Alfie Davis Sends Request To Khabib Nurmagomedov<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/01kgjry610nzrjffbnw2.jpg\" alt=\"Khabib Nurmagomedov coaches a UFC fight\" title=\"Khabib Nurmagomedov coaches a UFC fight\" width=\"5212\" height=\"2931\" class=\"undefined w-full w-full blur-[5px]\" q:id=\"6p\"\/><\/p>\n<p>Jan 18, 2025; Inglewood, California, USA; Khabib Nurmagomedov ringside during UFC 311 at Intuit Dome. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-16\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"6t\">Davis said he would fight Khabib Nurmagomedov if he ever entertained a comeback fight, assuming Davis can spring the upset against Usman Nurmagomedov (20-0 MMA). Although, of course, it&#8217;s easier said than done.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-17\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"6w\">&#8220;It\u2019s a shame, I really like Khabib,&#8221; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DUPwodmggpO\/?img_index=2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Davis said<\/a>. &#8220;I really respect him. But after I beat Usman, he\u2019s the final boss of the team, I\u2019ve got to fight him. He\u2019s got to come out of retirement, you know what I mean?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-18\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"6z\">Meanwhile, Usman Nurmagomedov has maintained a more humble approach entering his fight with Davis. For him, it&#8217;s strictly business.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-19\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"72\">&#8220;About Alfie Davis, I don\u2019t think [about] nothing,&#8221; <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DUEEelcCSlN\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Usman Nurmagomedov said. <\/a>&#8220;He\u2019s just somebody in my way, and I have to finish him. That\u2019s it. I\u2019m tired of fighting all five rounds. For this fight, I have prepared something special.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-20\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"75\">That &#8220;something special&#8221; tease will have to wait, as the preliminary card gets underway at 9 a.m. ET with the main card beginning at noon ET.<\/p>\n<p>More MMA Knockout News<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-22\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"7b\">\u2022\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/fannation\/mma\/news\/undefeated-mma-fighter-opponent-facedown-savage-walk-off-knockout\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Undefeated MMA Fighter Leaves Opponent Facedown After Savage Walk-Off Knockout<\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-23\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"7e\">\u2022\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/fannation\/mma\/news\/ufc-incredible-main-event-full-card-fight-night-london-evloev-murphy\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">UFC Reveals Incredible Main Event &amp; Full Card for UFC Fight Night London<\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-24\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"7h\">\u2022\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/fannation\/mma\/news\/3-biggest-overreactions-from-ufc-325-alexander-volkanovski-vs-diego-lopes-2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">3 Biggest Overreactions From UFC 325: Alexander Volkanovski vs. Diego Lopes 2<\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-25\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"7k\">\u2022\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/fannation\/mma\/news\/fighter-pulled-ufc-325-fight-cheating-scale-weigh-ins-aaron-tau\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Fighter Pulled from UFC 325 Fight After Cheating Scale During Weigh-Ins<\/a><\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-26\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"7n\">Stick with\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.si.com\/fannation\/mma\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">MMAKnockout<\/a>\u00a0for more FREE coverage of the UFC and MMA.<\/p>\n<p id=\"inline-text-27\" class=\"my-[18px] [&amp;_a]:text-secondary my-f-1.5\" q:key=\"0\" q:id=\"7q\">Follow MMAKnockout on\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/MMAKnockoutSI\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Facebook<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/UFCKnockout\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">Twitter<\/a>, and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/mmaknockoutsi\/?hl=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\">Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Defending PFL Lightweight Champion Usman Nurmagomedov makes his return to the PFL SmartCage this Saturday against Alfie Davis&hellip;\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":456679,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[570],"tags":[64,63,786,785,85],"class_list":{"0":"post-456678","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-mma","8":"tag-au","9":"tag-australia","10":"tag-fighting","11":"tag-mma","12":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/456678","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=456678"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/456678\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/456679"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=456678"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=456678"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=456678"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}