DUBAI: Karl Williams steps into the PFL cage in Dubai on Feb. 7 knowing exactly what he is up against. His opponent, Pouya Rahmani, carries a perfect 5-0 record and momentum from a brutal first-round finish against Slim Trabelsi in October. But the Virgin Islands heavyweight isn’t fazed by the challenge or the expected hostile crowd at Coca-Cola Arena.
“It doesn’t give me an extra motivation,” Williams said when asked about fighting in Rahmani’s adopted home. “The crowd changes according to the fight so hopefully by the end of the fight they’ll be on my side”.
Williams enters the bout looking to rebound from his August knockout loss to Sergey Bilostenniy at the PFL World Tournament Finals in Hollywood, Florida. That defeat marked the first time Williams had been stopped in his professional career, ending via a perfectly timed left hook in the second round. The fight also featured controversy when Williams was accidentally eye-poked during the sequence.
When asked about the biggest lesson he took from that loss, Williams initially joked: “Don’t get eye poked,” before adding, “but (the) biggest lesson was how to battle adversity of a loss in that manner.”
Williams holds a 10-4 professional record and went 3-1 in the UFC before signing with PFL in 2025. Known for his wrestling background and cage control, he is preparing for Rahmani the same way he approaches every fight. The Iranian-born heavyweight finished Slim Trabelsi with ground strikes at 2:47 of the first round in his most recent outing and has never seen a second round in his professional career.
“He’s not the first fighter that I have faced with similar backgrounds or accolades,” Williams explained. “I prepare like I prepare for all fights to be well-rounded and be able to counter what my opponent brings.”
He added: “He doesn’t have many fights so it’s hard to say what his openings are.”
Behind Williams’ preparation stands coach Dennis Davis, the head MMA coach at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas. Davis has built a reputation developing fighters from the amateur ranks to championship level, coaching UFC champions Sean Strickland and Francis Ngannou, among others. Williams also credited Barbour Orthopaedics for keeping him healthy and able to perform at his best.
“Coach Danny Davis, he’s the one that dissects my game plan and my opponents and sets me up for success,” Williams said. “And Barbour Orthopaedics for making sure that I’m healthy and able to perform the way I want to.”
When asked what message he wanted to send Rahmani ahead of the fight, Williams kept it simple. “I don’t really wanna send any messages,” he said. “Once the cage locks, all will be said.”
On an optimistic note, Williams envisions his fight night in Dubai ending with “having his hand raised and going out and enjoying the wonderful city and people.”
The heavyweight bout appears on the main card below two world title fights, with Usman Nurmagomedov defending his lightweight championship against Alfie Davis in the headliner.
