Shamil Musaev can say a lot with a few words, hence the nickname ‘The Silent Killer’.Undefeated in 21 career fights, he will face fellow Russian Ramazan Kuramagomedov for the inaugural Professional Fighters League welterweight championship in the PFL Dubai “Nurmagomedov vs. Davis” co-main event on Saturday at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It is Musaev’s first appearance since winning the PFL welterweight tournament in November 2024.
With 2026 being the first year under new CEO John Martin, the PFL made many changes to the format, the most notable being the removal of the tournament and season schedule. A new ranking system should allow the best to compete against the best. Musaev understands the change, but admits he will miss the activity the previous format brought.“This will definitely be different for me,” he told Sherdog.com. “With the tournament you knew when and how often you could potentially fight during the year, but now things won’t be as clear. I’m excited about the challenge and to see what my future holds.”
The opportunity to compete in Dubai and do so in a co-headliner was not lost on Musaev, who has never fought in the United Arab Emirates’ most populous city.“It’s great to fight in Dubai,” he said. “I am very happy to fight in Dubai. In my opinion, Dubai is the best location for the big fights.”
Two world title fights headline PFL Road to Dubai! Watch LIVE on Saturday, February 7 at 12:00 PM ET.
The goal: ‘Stay at the top’
Musaev sees himself winning the PFL welterweight title and fighting two more times this year. However, a huge task awaits. Kuramagomedov last competed on June 22, 2024, when he laid claim to the Bellator MMA welterweight crown with a five-round unanimous decision over Jason Jackson at Bellator Champions Series 3. The win moved him to a perfect 13-0. A showdown between Kuramagomedov and Musaev ranks as one of the most competitive fights the PFL can make right now, and it sets a strong direction for the promotion.“An ideal performance and schedule for me this year looks like this: I will become champion against Kuramagomedov, and then I plan to defend the title twice,” Musaev said. “That would be the most ideal situation for me this year.”
A win over Kuramagomedov would serve as a short-term win as part of a long-term strategy. Musaev wants to stay involved and test himself against the best of the best on the PFL roster.
“The goal for me in the PFL is to stay at the top,” he said. “I intend to become a champion [and] performing in great fights against great opponents, and while the new format is a league decision, I just hope to stay active and busy. I like the Grand Prix because I was active and busy, and I hope to keep it that way with the new format.”
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