"The Professional Fighters League kicked off its 2026 in a big way on Saturday, with two title fights headlining PFL: Road to Dubai at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, UAE. In the first, the night's co-main event found the vacant welterweight title on the line between Ramazan Kuramagomedov and Shamil Musaev. Kuramagomedov was the final Bellator MMA welterweight champ, a distinction he earned after the PFL had purchased the rival promotion. Musaev had won the PFL's 2024 welterweight tournament."
"Kuramagomedov claimed the first significant strike with a right hand about a minute in, leading to a grappling exchange along the fence. Musaev had his back to the fence and found himself eating hammer fists and knees to the thigh. With one underhook in, Kuramagomedov was in the driver's seat, but what he couldn't seem to do was get the fight to the mat. Instead, Musaev defended, landed a knee, came off the fence, and fired another knee... only to connect low."
The Professional Fighters League opened 2026 with PFL: Road to Dubai at the Coca-Cola Arena featuring two title fights. The vacant welterweight title was contested by Ramazan Kuramagomedov and Shamil Musaev, both undefeated and both from Russia. Kuramagomedov entered as the final Bellator welterweight champion after PFL's purchase of Bellator. Musaev entered having won the 2024 PFL tournament but missed all of 2025. The fight featured early striking, repeated fence grappling, a low knee that paused action briefly, a cut to Musaev's forehead, and Kuramagomedov securing a forceful takedown late in round two.
Read at Cageside Press
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