Abubakar Nurmagomedov (1-1-1 in PFL) is set to make his return to competition on November 14 after more than three years away from the cage. He will face David Martinez (1-0 in PFL) at PFL Dubai.
Abubakar Nurmagomedov is set to end a lengthy absence from competition on November 14, when he meets David Martinez at PFL Dubai in a welterweight matchup that will mark his return to the cage for the first time in more than three years.
Nurmagomedov, 36, brings a professional record of 17-4-1 into the bout and holds a 1-1-1 mark within PFL competition. The Russian fighter out of Fightspirit Team stands five-foot-eleven with a 72-inch reach and fights out of an orthodox stance. A measured, technical competitor, he lands 2.78 significant strikes per minute at a 53 percent accuracy rate, and supplements his striking with 1.25 takedown attempts per 15 minutes — a reflection of the grappling-heavy lineage common to fighters from his region.
Martinez, known as "Black Spartan," arrives with momentum behind him, going 1-0 in PFL thus far and carrying a professional record of 15-1-0 overall. The 28-year-old Mexican fighter, ranked eighth in the bantamweight division and representing Bonebreakers MMA, is notably active on the feet, generating 4.82 significant strikes per minute. He stands five-foot-five with a 67-inch reach and also operates from an orthodox stance.
Why it matters
- Nurmagomedov's return after more than three years away represents one of the more significant comebacks on the PFL calendar this year
- A win for either fighter would meaningfully bolster his PFL ledger, with Nurmagomedov looking to improve on a 1-1-1 slate and Martinez seeking to build on his unbeaten start in the promotion
- The style contrast is sharp — Nurmagomedov's accuracy and wrestling credentials against Martinez's high-volume striking output — making for an intriguing tactical puzzle at PFL Dubai
