Marquee title fights featuring undefeated lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov and undefeated women’s flyweight champion Dakota Ditcheva are set to headline the Professional Fighters League (PFL) New York pay-per-view at the UBS Arena in Elmont on Friday.
Nurmagomedov, who comes from a bloodline of MMA champions, will take the spotlight in the main event with a 21-0 record. Eight of his victories came via knockout, and seven by submission. He is also considered one of the promotion’s top wrestlers and grapplers.
The same can be said for his opponent, Archie Colgan, who is also undefeated at 13-0. He is a former collegiate wrestler who has since ventured into MMA, joining the PFL in 2024 and winning two fights to become the No. 1 contender.
“My wrestling background has not only shaped my fight career, but has also shaped me as a person. Undoubtedly, it’s going to bleed over to my fight career, and wrestling is at my core, and I don’t know any different,” Colgan told amNewYork.
“I have to rely on my [wrestling] but not in the sense that it’s the only thing I’m doing, but I do have to believe in it, and I do believe in it.”
Across his four-year career, Colgan has defeated the likes of Ben Simons, Bryan Nuro, and Justin Montalvo via knockout. While Nurmagomedov will be his biggest challenge, he will have UFC lightweight champion Justin Gaethje in his corner, who Colgan trains with and watched win the title at the UFC White House event in June.
“Justin is the man. Before my first amateur fight, he sparred with me. I didn’t even know him that much. He didn’t know me at all, and he came in and did it all out of favor because my coach asked him to,” Colgan said.
“Years later, I am his main training partner in helping him succeed the lightweight title, and he is also in my corner to succeed the [PFL lightweight title].”
Ditcheva will defend the women’s flyweight title against former Bellator kickboxing champion Denise Kielholtz in the co-main event. Their bout was initially scheduled for earlier this year, but Ditcheva sustained a broken hand during training while recovering from another hand injury.
Still, she comes into the bout with a 15-0 record, winning 12 times via knockout and once by submission. Kielholtz, on the other hand, has a 9-5 record and won her last bout after returning from a three-year hiatus.
Both fighters have shaped their fight style around their respective backgrounds in kickboxing and were grateful for the opportunity to step back into the octagon.
“PFL is the biggest platform for women’s MMA all over the world, and I know how many eyes are watching this fight on Friday. Being here and on this card feels amazing,” Kielholtz said.
“Every fight is important to me. Every person I get in the cage with is dangerous. Honestly, I focus on myself and turn up for the fight of the night,” Ditcheva added.
The main card also includes a light heavyweight matchup between Simeon Powell and Dovlet Yagshimuradov and a lightweight bout between undefeated contender Amru Magomedov and Angel Alvarez.
The preliminary card of PFL New York starts at 4 pm ET from the UBS Arena, with the main card getting underway at 7 pm ET. The pay-per-view will be streamed exclusively on ESPN+.
