ELMONT, N.Y. — Long Island is getting a major fight night.

The Professional Fighters League is bringing PFL New York Presented by Arkham to UBS Arena at Belmont Park on Friday, July 31, and the card is headlined by one of the best undefeated-vs-undefeated matchups MMA fans could ask for.

In the main event, PFL Lightweight World Champion Usman Nurmagomedov puts his title and unbeaten record on the line against undefeated contender Archie “King” Colgan.

That alone makes this one of the biggest combat sports cards to hit Long Island this summer.

The main event: Usman Nurmagomedov vs. Archie Colgan

The headline fight is simple: two undefeated lightweights, one world title, and a lot of pressure.

Usman Nurmagomedov enters as the reigning PFL Lightweight World Champion with a perfect 21-0 record. He is also one of the most talked-about names in the sport because of both his championship résumé and his connection to the legendary Nurmagomedov fighting family.

Across his unbeaten run, Usman has built a reputation for mixing elite grappling, smart striking, control, and composure. He is not just protecting a belt. He is protecting an aura.

On the other side is Archie Colgan, the No. 3-ranked lightweight contender, also undefeated at 13-0.

Colgan brings a serious wrestling background into the cage. He was a Division I wrestler at the University of Wyoming, where he became a Big 12 champion and two-time NCAA Tournament qualifier before moving into MMA. That makes this matchup especially interesting because Colgan may be one of the most credentialed wrestling threats Nurmagomedov has faced.

This is not just champion vs. challenger. It is legacy vs. opportunity.

If Nurmagomedov wins, he keeps his unbeaten run alive and further strengthens his claim as one of the top lightweights outside the UFC. If Colgan wins, he becomes the first fighter to beat Usman Nurmagomedov and leaves Long Island as a world champion.

That is the kind of main event that deserves a big-room atmosphere.

Dakota Ditcheva returns in the co-main event

The co-main event brings another undefeated star to Long Island.

Dakota “Dangerous” Ditcheva, the No. 1-ranked women’s flyweight contender, returns against former Bellator Kickboxing World Champion Denise “Miss Dynamite” Kielholtz.

Ditcheva is 15-0 and has become one of PFL’s most marketable fighters. She is explosive, confident, and dangerous everywhere the fight goes. She is also returning after dealing with hand injuries, which adds another layer to the story.

Kielholtz enters with the kind of striking background that makes her a very real threat. She is a former kickboxing world champion and also carries a judo black belt, meaning this is not a soft landing for Ditcheva.

For Ditcheva, this fight is about reminding everyone why she is one of the faces of the women’s flyweight division. For Kielholtz, it is a chance to disrupt the division and pull off a major upset on a huge stage.

Why this card matters for Long Island

UBS Arena has become one of the Island’s premier homes for major events — concerts, Islanders games, boxing-style atmospheres, and now elite MMA.

For Long Island fight fans, this is the kind of card that does not require a trip into Manhattan. The big-fight atmosphere is coming right to Belmont Park.

That matters because Long Island has a deep combat-sports culture. Between MMA gyms, boxing gyms, wrestling programs, local amateur fighters, UFC champions from the Island, and a fan base that consistently shows up for big events, this region understands fight night.

PFL putting a card like this at UBS Arena is not random. Long Island is a real fight market.

Full PFL New York main card

PFL New York Presented by Arkham is scheduled for Friday, July 31 at UBS Arena.

The main card airs on ESPN beginning at 7 p.m. ET.

Main Card

PFL Lightweight World Title Main Event
Usman Nurmagomedov (21-0) vs. Archie Colgan (13-0)

Women’s Flyweight Co-Main Event
Dakota Ditcheva (15-0) vs. Denise Kielholtz (9-5)

Light Heavyweight Bout
Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov (26-8-1) vs. Simeon Powell (12-2)

Lightweight Bout
Amru Magomedov (10-0) vs. Angel Alvarez (11-2)

Preliminary card

The prelims are scheduled to stream on the ESPN App beginning at 4 p.m. ET.

Bantamweight Bout
Raufeon Stots (21-4) vs. Lazaro Dayron (10-0-1)

175 lb Catchweight Bout
Jonathan Piersma (12-3) vs. Omar El Dafrawy (15-6)

Bantamweight Bout
Sean Gauci (11-1) vs. Allan Begosso (10-4-1)

Light Heavyweight Bout
Moustapha Diakhate (5-0-1) vs. Zacharia Nishimwe (4-0)

Light Heavyweight Bout
Khabib Nabiev (12-0) vs. Jamelle Jones (15-8)

Women’s Flyweight Bout
Montana De La Rosa (13-9-1) vs. Tatiana Postarnakova (7-0)

Lightweight Bout
Chamy Delva (7-1) vs. Levan Khabalaev (4-0)

The fights to watch beyond the main event

The main event will get most of the attention, but this card has depth.

Dakota Ditcheva vs. Denise Kielholtz could be one of the most entertaining fights of the night. Ditcheva is undefeated and clearly being positioned as a major star, but Kielholtz has the striking credentials to make the fight dangerous from the opening exchange.

Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov vs. Simeon Powell gives the card a strong light heavyweight matchup between ranked fighters. That division always carries knockout potential, and a big performance at UBS Arena could move the winner into a stronger position.

Raufeon Stots vs. Lazaro Dayron is another strong name-value fight. Stots is a veteran with championship-level experience, while Dayron brings an unbeaten record into the matchup.

The prelims also include several undefeated fighters, which means Long Island fans may be watching future contenders before the main card even begins.

What fans should know

For fans going to UBS Arena, this is a full fight-night event, not just a two-fight card.

The prelims begin at 4 p.m. ET, and the main card starts at 7 p.m. ET. Anyone attending should check UBS Arena’s event policies before heading out, including bag rules, mobile ticketing, parking, rideshare, and arrival timing.

Because this is a Friday night event at Belmont Park, give yourself extra time for traffic, parking, and getting through security.

WLIT.FM takeaway

This is a real Long Island fight-night moment.

PFL is bringing an undefeated world champion, an undefeated challenger, one of the most exciting women’s flyweights in MMA, and a deep 11-fight card to UBS Arena.

For casual fans, the headline is easy: two undefeated lightweights fighting for a world title.

For hardcore fans, the card has enough names, prospects, ranked fighters, and stylistic matchups to make it worth watching from the first prelim.

Long Island has produced champions, supported fight nights, and built a real combat-sports culture. On July 31, UBS Arena gets another chance to show why this market belongs on the MMA map.