Davis Shocks Rabadanov, Calls for PFL Lightweight Title

Alfie Davis Shocks and Calls for Championship in PFL

British lightweight fighter Alfie Davis pulled off a major upset by winning the 2025 PFL Lightweight World Tournament on Friday, defeating Gadzhi Rabadanov. Immediately after his victory, Davis expressed his desire to challenge for the PFL lightweight championship. Davis (20-5-1) defeated Rabadanov (26-5-2) by unanimous decision from the judges, with scores of 48-47. The 155-pound fight was the main event of the PFL World Tournament at the Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina. In his post-fight interview, Davis, 22, expressed his interest in facing the winner of the PFL lightweight title fight between Usman Nurmagomedov and Paul Hughes, scheduled for October.

I want the winner of Hughes and Nurmagomedov, and then I want to put that belt in the [World Tournament 2026] next year.
Alfie Davis

The PFL’s current format separates its World Tournament from the lightweight championship, meaning Davis won the tournament and its $500,000 prize, but is not considered the promotion’s champion and is not guaranteed a title shot. Davis expressed that he wants not only to fight for the belt, but also to bring it to the tournament, as the current structure is “confusing”. Davis’s victory was a standout performance, considering Rabadanov was the favorite. Davis defended Rabadanov’s takedowns well, keeping the fight standing at crucial moments. He also prevented the Russian from causing damage in the top position whenever he managed to take him down.

Liz Carmouche Crowned Women’s Flyweight Champion

In the co-main event, 41-year-old Liz Carmouche (25-8) was crowned PFL champion by knocking out Jena Bishop (9-3) with a left hook in the third round. Carmouche, a former Bellator MMA champion, reached the playoffs of the 2024 PFL season but lost to Taila Santos. Carmouche is the most prominent name in the PFL’s 125-pound roster who has yet to fight rising star Dakota Ditcheva (15-0). Ditcheva won the 2024 PFL tournament and is 1-0 this year with a win over Sumiko Inaba in July. Ditcheva, 27, signed a contract extension with the PFL before her victory over Inaba, and Carmouche took her post-fight opportunity to request a match between the two. Ditcheva is currently recovering from a hand injury sustained in her last fight.