Alfie Davis has won 19 of his 25 professional fights Britain's Alfie Davis reached the final of the PFL lightweight tournament with a unanimous decision win against Brent Primus in Wichita, Kansas. Davis, 33, was the busier striker in a back-and-forth contest, sealing a 29-28 victory on all three judges' scorecards at the Intrust Bank Arena. Victory sees Davis compete for his first world title and the chance to win £395,000 ($500,000) in prize money. He will face Russia's Gadzhi Rabadanov in the PFL Finals on 15 August at the Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina. There was disappointment for fellow Briton Jake Hadley, however, who was outclassed by Brazil's Marcirley Alves in the bantamweight semi-finals. Hadley, 28, was on the back foot throughout as Alves dominated with his striking, landing a number of thudding combinations. The PFL has been a breeding ground for success for Britons in recent years withBrendan Loughnane winning the featherweight titlein 2022 andDakota Ditcheva securing women's flyweight goldlast year. Davis will have the chance to become Britain's first PFL lightweight champion after delivering the more eye-catching moments in an entertaining contest with Primus. Primus, who was last year's beaten finalist, edged the first round, controlling the action on the ground but Davis came alive in the second. Davis unleashed a selection of eye-catching strikes, hurting Primus with knees to the body and catching the American with a couple of spinning back kicks. With the crowd showing their appreciation, Davis danced in the middle of the cage as the final seconds of the round ticked down. Davis continued to land in the final round and despite being taken down, reversed the position to end the fight on top, before celebrating victory with his team. Hadley, who parted ways with the UFC last year after his contract expired, failed to join Davis as he was overpowered by Alves. Alves started strongly and never looked back, landing a number of combinations to the body with Hadley using his jab in vain to disrupt the momentum. The Brazilian exerted more control in the second round, dropping Hadley with a straight right and opening a cut below his left eye. Hadley continued to struggle with Alves' power and the Brazilian stamped his authority on the contest by landing a takedown in the final minutes. On the prelims, Ireland's Darragh Kelly extended the unbeaten start to his career to eight by submitting American lightweight Mike Hamel in the third round. Despite some clean shots from Hamel, Kelly was the better striker throughout before securing a rear-naked choke with two minutes remaining to end the contest. Britain's Fabian Edwards faces American Josh Silveira in the middleweight semi-finals at the Wintrust Arena in Chicago, Illinois on 27 June. Fellow Briton Simeon Powell fights Brazil's Antonio Carlos Jr in the light-heavyweight semi-finals on the same card.
Davis reaches PFL finals but Hadley loses
TruthLens AI Suggested Headline:
"Alfie Davis Advances to PFL Lightweight Finals; Jake Hadley Eliminated"
Bbc News
8.0
TruthLens AI Summary
Alfie Davis has advanced to the final of the Professional Fighters League (PFL) lightweight tournament after securing a unanimous decision victory over Brent Primus in a closely contested match held in Wichita, Kansas. The bout showcased Davis's striking prowess, as he demonstrated a more active fighting style, earning a score of 29-28 from all three judges. This victory marks a significant milestone for Davis, 33, as he aims for his first world title and the opportunity to win a substantial prize of £395,000 ($500,000). Davis is set to face Gadzhi Rabadanov from Russia in the PFL Finals on August 15 at the Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina. Throughout the match against Primus, who was the previous year's runner-up, Davis showcased his ability to adapt and overcome. Although Primus controlled the first round with effective ground action, Davis rebounded in the second round with powerful strikes, including knees to the body and spinning back kicks, which energized the crowd. He finished strong in the final round, reversing a takedown attempt and ending the fight on top, celebrating his victory with his team and supporters.
In contrast, fellow Briton Jake Hadley faced disappointment in the bantamweight semi-finals against Brazil's Marcirley Alves. Hadley, 28, struggled to find his rhythm throughout the fight, consistently on the defensive as Alves dominated with effective striking combinations. The Brazilian's powerful punches caused significant damage, including a knockdown in the second round that opened a cut under Hadley's eye. Despite Hadley’s attempts to utilize his jab, he could not disrupt Alves's momentum. Alves continued to assert his dominance, securing a takedown in the final minutes of the fight, thereby cementing his victory over Hadley. The PFL has recently seen success from British fighters, with Brendan Loughnane and Dakota Ditcheva winning titles in their respective divisions. As Davis prepares for his final bout, he hopes to become the first British PFL lightweight champion, while Hadley will need to regroup after his recent defeat. On the preliminary card, Ireland's Darragh Kelly continued his unbeaten streak, winning by submission against Mike Hamel, further highlighting the talent present in the league as the tournament progresses.
TruthLens AI Analysis
You need to be a member to generate the AI analysis for this article.
Log In to Generate AnalysisNot a member yet? Register for free.