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What Islam Makhachev told PFL star easily submitted by Usman Nurmagomedov
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- What Islam Makhachev told PFL star easily submitted by Usman Nurmagomedov
Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC
Following Saturday's PFL main event, Islam Makhachev had a concise message for Alfie Davis.
Makhachev was present at the first PFL event of 2026 on February 7 in Dubai, where he was cornering Usman Nurmagomedov.
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Nurmagomedov put on another strong performance, dominating Alfie Davis to retain his lightweight title.
After two straight decision wins over Paul Hughes, the undefeated Dagestani secured a third-round finish against Davis with an arm-triangle choke, putting the Englishman to sleep.
Makhachev entered the cage to celebrate with his teammate but also took a moment to address Davis directly.
Islam Makhachev recalls what Alfie Davis did to one of his teammates
Photo by David Jensen/Getty Images
To secure his title shot at Dubai's Coca-Cola Arena, Davis won the 2025 PFL lightweight tournament.
After picking up wins against Clay Collard and Brent Primus, he completed the upset with a surprising victory over Gadzhi Rabadanov to earn the shot.
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Makhachev clearly has not forgotten the upset from Charlotte last August. After Nurmagomedov submitted 'The Axe Man', he made sure to remind him of their overall score inside the cage.
Davis posted a video on his Instagram Stories reflecting on the loss.
"I dared to be great but got choked out," he said. "This is the life of elite competition."
"The best line came from Islam Makhachev at the end when I shook his hand. He went, 'Hey brother, 1-1.'"
Davis also gave credit to Nurmagomedov's performance, adding: "Well done to Usman. (He) is a really tricky guy, man. Hard to hit, really tricky on the floor."
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Could Usman Nurmagomedov be the next to make the move to UFC?
Nurmagomedov is still competing under the PFL banner, but there is growing talk that he could follow a similar path to his cousin Khabib and Makhachev.
Plenty of people are eager to see him make the jump, especially with names like Ilia Topuria, Justin Gaethje, and Max Holloway all active in the division. Most expect him to end up there sooner or later.
Khabib has already said he rates Usman higher than Topuria, and those close to him have long believed he is next in line to take over where Khabib and Makhachev left off.
Saturday's win leaves just one fight remaining on Usman's current deal, so if he chooses not to renew with the PFL, the path could soon be clear for a move.
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