Archie Colgan is set for the biggest opportunity of his career, as the unbeaten contender will challenge undefeated lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov for the PFL lightweight title at PFL New York.
The championship bout is scheduled for July 31 at UBS Arena in Belmont on Long Island, where Colgan (13-0) will meet Nurmagomedov (21-0) in a clash of unblemished records. Nurmagomedov’s latest title win came against Alfie Davis in February.
Colgan, a 31-year-old former Division 1 wrestler who turned professional in March 2021 during the COVID era, reflected on the path that led him to this moment. “I’m happy with my road to this moment, and I think that ultimately I could have been rushed faster if I didn't have the people that I have in my corner,” Colgan said.
“A lot of these people have helped me understand, like, ‘Hey, you're going to be here. You're going to get there and it doesn't have to be right now. When we get there, we're going to be ready for that moment.’ And that is obviously a big thing to bite off there. It's humbling,” he added.
Colgan fought twice in LFA in 2021, winning both by knockout before signing with Bellator, and in PFL he owns wins over Mansour Barnaoui and Jay Jay Wilson, with the Wilson victory in October helping position him for title contention.
Looking ahead to Nurmagomedov, Colgan kept the focus simple: “I just want to win an MMA fight.”
