'charisma Seen From Space' - Britain's Davis Stuns Rabadanov

Britain's Alfie Davis stunned defending champion Gadzhi Rabadanov to triumph nan PFL lightweight tourney by unanimous determination successful Charlotte, North Carolina.

London's Davis landed nan much damaging strikes to separator a adjacent title pinch each 3 judges scoring it 48-47 successful nan 33-year-old's favour.

Davis was flooded pinch emotion arsenic nan consequence was publication retired arsenic he won $500,000 (£369,000) - a prize he described arsenic "life-changing".

He becomes nan 3rd Briton to triumph an yearly PFL tourney aft featherweight Brendan Loughnane successful 2022 and women's flyweight Dakota Ditcheva past year.

"I don't cognize what to say, I've worked truthful difficult for this," said Davis.

"To beryllium a champion for illustration Gadzhi, I respect him and person watched him for truthful galore years – he and his squad are amazing. To hit personification for illustration that is simply a dream travel true."

Davis reached nan last aft enjoying nan champion spell of his 11-year profession pinch wins complete Clay Collard and Brent Primus.

In Russia's 32-year-old Rabadanov, however, he was facing past year's champion and a combatant connected a 12-fight triumph streak.

Davis said he had suffered from a deficiency of assurance successful nan past, but has put that down him pinch a drawstring of awesome displays.

His new-found assurance was connected afloat show arsenic he danced his measurement to nan cage, earlier being introduced arsenic personification whose "charisma tin beryllium seen from space".

Following a tentative first round, Rabadanov took control, earning nan first takedown of nan conflict and controlling nan action connected nan ground.

Davis, who had been connected nan backmost foot, started to unfastened up successful nan 3rd by stifling Rabadanov's unit pinch a number of antagonistic strikes.

As nan crowd rallied, chanting "Alfie, Alfie", Davis landed an eye-catching spinning elbow, earlier spending nan 4th information connected his backmost pursuing different takedown by Rabadanov.

Sensing nan 5th could determine nan fight, Davis' squad said "win this round, alteration your life" earlier nan last 5 minutes, and he delivered by landing nan much damaging strikes.

Confident of victory, Davis ran astir nan cage pinch his arms aloft aft nan last doorbell earlier calling for nan victor of Russia's Usman Nurmagomedov and Irishman Paul Hughes.

Nurmagomedov defends his PFL lightweight belt, which was formerly nan Bellator title, successful a rematch against Hughes successful Dubai connected 3 October.

In nan women's flyweight final, Liz Carmouche knocked retired chap American Jena Bishop earlier calling for a conflict pinch Ditcheva.

Ditcheva, who has won nan first 15 fights of her career, beat Sumiko Inaba successful July but is presently recovering from room aft injuring her manus during nan bout.

Britain's Fabian Edwards competes successful nan middleweight last later this period erstwhile he faces American Dalton Rosta connected 21 August successful Hollywood, Florida.