Usman Nurmagomedov Retains Title With 3:42 First-Round Knockout of Archie Colgan

Usman Nurmagomedov improved to 22-0 by stopping Archie Colgan in the first round at UBS Arena to retain his PFL lightweight championship.

Usman Nurmagomedov successfully defended his PFL lightweight championship on Friday night at UBS Arena in Elmont, New York, by defeating Archie Colgan via knockout at 3 minutes and 42 seconds of the first round. The 28-year-old Dagestani native improved his professional record to 22-0 with one no-contest after landing a head kick that dropped Colgan, followed by a series of uppercuts that ended the bout once his opponent regained his feet. Referee Keith Peterson officially waved off the contest as Colgan suffered the first loss of his career, falling to 13-1.

In the women's flyweight co-main event, Dakota Ditcheva secured a unanimous decision victory over Denise Kielholtz with identical scores of 30-27 from all three judges. Ditcheva, a 28-year-old fighter from England, entered the cage as a -9000 betting favorite and extended her undefeated record to 16-0. Despite the victory, the crowd at PFL New York expressed restlessness with audible boos as the fight progressed through three full rounds without a finish. This marked Ditcheva's second consecutive fight to go the distance, following her July performance against Sumiko Inaba.

Nurmagomedov Challenges Jake Paul Over Pay

Following his dominant performance, Nurmagomedov utilized his post-fight interview to address MVP co-founder Jake Paul, who was present inside the cage. The champion revealed that the victory over Colgan marked the final fight on his current PFL contract. Nurmagomedov referenced ongoing public criticism from Most Valuable Promotions regarding UFC CEO Dana White's compensation structure. He challenged his new promoters to prove their commitment to fighter pay during his upcoming contract negotiations, stating, "Now, we're going to see how they want to pay."

Nurmagomedov credited his technical superiority to his training camp environment. He highlighted his preparation alongside retired former UFC champion Khabib Nurmagomedov and current UFC double champion Islam Makhachev. During the short-lived contest, the champion utilized a steady succession of punches and kicks to keep the 31-year-old Colgan at bay. Colgan, a former collegiate wrestler based in Denver, struggled to close the distance against the champion’s striking range before the final sequence of blows.

Ditcheva Returns From Hand Injuries

The co-main event marked Dakota Ditcheva's first appearance in over a year after she sidelined herself to recover from injuries sustained to both hands. While she failed to add to her career total of 13 finishes and 12 knockouts, she maintained control throughout the 15-minute bout. Her opponent, 37-year-old Denise Kielholtz from the Netherlands, saw her record drop to 9-6 as she absorbed consistent strikes to the head and body across all three rounds.

This non-title bout served as a return to form for Ditcheva, who had previously finished nine consecutive PFL opponents before her recent streak of decision wins. The victory positions her for a potential matchup against former Bellator champion Liz Carmouche for the vacant PFL flyweight throne. The event took place just 24 hours after the PFL announced a merger with Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions, signaling a shift in the organization's promotional structure.