Inspired by Jean-Claude Van Damme films, Davis targets PFL world title in Dubai

Alfie Davis sits in front of the camera during a pre-fight media call, and there’s something refreshingly human about the way he tells his story.

The London fighter traces his martial arts journey back to something millions of kids can relate to, watching Jean-Claude Van Damme movies and dreaming big.

“I used to watch Jean-Claude Van Damme films as a child and would try to replicate him, and then I got into kickboxing,” Davis explains.

That childhood fascination turned into something real when he started training at Enfield Kickboxing Academy at age 12. By 16, he became British Kickboxing Champion, defending the title seven times and earning silver medals at both the European and World Kickboxing Championships representing Great Britain.

The path from there to fighting for a world title on February 7, 2026, against undefeated PFL Lightweight Champion Usman Nurmagomedov in Dubai wasn’t straightforward. Davis put his sports science degree at London Metropolitan University on hold to chase the MMA dream, going part-time with his studies and committing full-time to fighting. That was 12 years ago. “They say it takes 10 years to achieve something in your life, so I’m 12 years in now and I’m fighting for a world title,” he reflects.

What shaped Davis into the fighter stepping into Dubai’s Coca-Cola Arena goes beyond technique and training camps. Loss became fuel.

“What shaped me as a fighter was where I grew up and my past,” Davis says.

“My father passing when I was a youngster pushed me to want to achieve something in life and gain some money, so that gave me a driving force through my teen years.”

That motivation has evolved. Davis is now a married father of two children, and the stakes have shifted from proving himself to providing for those who depend on him.

“More recently, having children has pushed me to want to get as much prize money as possible to set them up for life,” he admits.

The $500,000 he earned winning the 2025 PFL Lightweight Tournament, defeating Clay Collard, Brent Primus, and Gadzhi Rabadanov in succession, was life-changing. Another victory in Dubai would cement his status as world champion.

Davis entered the 2025 tournament as an outsider. He lost his PFL debut to Mansour Barnaoui in November 2024, then faced visa problems that nearly derailed his quarter-final bout against Collard in Florida.

The issues were resolved by Wednesday, allowing Davis to catch the first flight to Orlando, make weight, and fight just 36 hours later. He won by spinning elbow knockout at 2:12 of the first round.

The spinning elbow has become his signature, a remnant of those Van Damme-inspired days when flashy techniques seemed like the coolest thing in the world. Davis calls himself “The Axe Man,” and the nickname fits his striking style, varied, unorthodox, and dangerous. He’s just a regular fighter from North London who happens to throw spectacular kicks and elbows for a living.

Dubai represents something different for Davis. “I watched the last few fights in Dubai and the crowd looks amazing,” he says. He knows he’ll likely be the “B-side” against Nurmagomedov, who is cousin to UFC legend Khabib and has fought twice before in the emirate to roaring support. But Davis sees an opportunity.

“There are a lot of English people in the UAE,” he notes, adding that he thinks “it’ll be a good crowd on both our behalves”.

He’s even picked up a few Arabic phrases for the occasion, rattling them off with the enthusiasm of someone who genuinely wants to connect with the local audience: “In terms of Arabic words, I know salaam alaikum... shukran... alhamdulillah... inshallah, habibi”. It’s a small gesture, but it speaks to Davis’s approach, respectful, down-to-earth, and aware he’s walking into Nurmagomedov territory.

Davis brings personality to fight week. He jokes about the matchup being “two handsome chaps fighting for a world title” and even suggests that his performance might force “Khabib to come out of retirement”.

PFL: Road to Dubai at Coca-Cola Arena starts at 6pm. Dubai with the pre-lims and the main card at 9pm Dubai.