Alfie Davis was humble in defeat after getting put to sleep by Usman Nurmagomedov in their PFL: Road to Dubai title fight on Saturday.
After talking a big game about how he would be the first to defeat Nurmagomedov (21-0) in MMA, the fight went badly for Davis (20-6-1) as he was dominant then choked unconscious in the third round of the lightweight championship bout.
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Davis could not duplicate the success he found against Nurmagomedov’s teammate Gadzhi Rabadanov in his previous outing. He admits he didn’t sense much dangerous during the final grappling exchange where Nurmagomedov submitted him, he just recalls what happened in the moments after.
“I heard my corner say, ’30 seconds left’ and I was like, ‘Oh, I’ll just chill here and wait, he’s not going to get this,'” Davis told Red Corner MMA. “The next thing I know I’m waking up. He had a monster squeeze on him.
“I woke up with Khabib (Nurmagomedov) in my face. I was like, it’s weird. If you’re ever been choked out it’s sort of weird, buzzy feeling. I woke up like, ‘Where am I?’ Then I’m like, ‘There I am.’ It’s unfortunate my man.”
Davis said the aftermath of the fight was all peaceful. He recalled another moment with UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev.
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“He was very respectful,” Davis said. “They’re all very respectful. I think Islam Makhachev gave me the best comment. He’s like, ‘Hey brother, now it’s 1-1.’ It was very funny.”
Davis, 33, had toyed with the idea of retirement prior to a championship run for PFL in 2025 that landed him the fight with Nurmagomedov. It was a deflating result, but Davis made it clear he’s not giving up on his dreams just yet (via Instagram):
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Alfie Davis reacts to PFL title loss: ‘Woke up with Khabib in my face’
