Usman Nurmagomedov defends lightweight title against Archie Colgan at PFL New York on July 31

Usman Nurmagomedov will make the third defence of his PFL lightweight title against undefeated contender Archie Colgan at UBS Arena in Belmont Park, Long Island on July 31, headlining the promotion’s first event in New York. Dakota Ditcheva, the reigning PFL flyweight champion, will return from injury to face Dutch kickboxer Denise Kielholtz in the co-main event.

Colgan, 30, arrives unbeaten in 13 professional fights. A former collegiate wrestler at the University of Wyoming, he built his record under the Bellator MMA banner before the promotion was acquired by PFL, and has since added back-to-back decision victories over Mansour Barnoui and Jay-Jay Wilson in PFL competition.

PFL CEO John Martin framed the main event as a clash of legacies. “In one corner you have the lightweight champion, Usman Nurmagomedov, who has been a class above every man to stand opposite him,” Martin said in a release. “And now we have a challenger everyone says could be the kryptonite, Archie Colgan, an NCAA Division I wrestler who many believe is yet to lose a round. Does a legacy continue, or a legacy start?”

Ditcheva has not competed since July 2024, when she broke her hand during a victory over Sumiko Inaba at PFL Cape Town. The British muay thai specialist, a 2023 PFL Europe Champion and 2024 PFL flyweight champion, was originally scheduled to meet Kielholtz on February 7 before a second broken hand forced her withdrawal. Her most prominent result to date remains a second-round stoppage of former UFC title challenger Taila Santos at the 2024 PFL finals.

Kielholtz, a Dutch kickboxing standout who also holds a black belt in judo, carries a three-fight winning streak into the bout. She most recently outpointed Antonia Silvaneide at PFL Dubai on February 7 — the card from which Ditcheva withdrew — and previously challenged for Bellator flyweight gold in 2021, losing to Juliana Velasquez by unanimous decision.

“Twelve finishes in 15 fights is an astounding knockout rate for her weight class,” Martin said of Ditcheva, “and she’s must-see TV every time she steps in the cage.” PFL New York takes place at UBS Arena beginning at 7 p.m. ET.