Shamil
Musaev can say a lot with a few words, hence the nickname “The
Silent Assassin.”
Undefeated through 21 career bouts, he will face Russian compatriot
Ramazan
Kuramagomedov for the inaugural
Professional Fighters League welterweight championship in the
PFL Dubai “Nurmagomedov vs. Davis” co-main event on Saturday at
Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It marks Musaev’s
first appearance since he won the PFL welterweight tournament in
November 2024.
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With 2026 being the first year under new CEO John Martin, the PFL
made plenty of changes to its format, the most notable being the
remove of its tournament and season-based schedule. A new
rankings system should allow for the best to face the best. Musaev
understands the change but admits he will miss the activity the
previous format brought the table.
“This is going to be different for me, for sure,” he told
Sherdog.com. “With the tournament, you knew when and how many times
you could potentially be fighting for the year, but now things are
not going to be so clear. I’m excited for the challenge and to see
what is in store for my future.”
The opportunity to compete in Dubai and to do so in a co-headliner
was not lost on Musaev, who has never fought in the United Arab
Emirates’ most populous city.
“To fight in Dubai is awesome,” he said. “I’m very glad to be
fighting in Dubai. In my opinion, Dubai is the best location for
the big fights.”
Two World Title Fights
headline PFL Road to Dubai! Tune in LIVE Saturday, Feb. 7 at 12
p.m. ET.
The Goal: ‘Stay at the Top’
Musaev sees himself winning the PFL welterweight title, then
fighting twice more this year. However, a formidable 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 bouts the PFL can make at the moment,
and it signals a strong direction for the promotion.
“An ideal performance and schedule for me this year looks like
this: I will become a champion against Kuramagomedov, and then, I
plan to defend the belt twice,” Musaev said. “That would be the
most ideal situation for me this year.”
A victory over Kuramagomedov would serve as a short-term gain as
part of a long-term strategy. Musaev wants to stay engaged 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
plan to be a champion [and] perform in great fights against great
opponents, and while the new format is a decision of the league,
I’m hoping to just stay active and busy. I like the grand prix
because I was active and busy, and I hope to keep that with the new
format.”