Usman Nurmagomedov, demonstrated his supremacy in the octagon by defeating Paul Hughes for the second time, securing the PFL lightweight championship.
Nurmagomedov (20-0) defeated Hughes (14-3) by unanimous decision in the main event of the PFL Champions Series in Dubai. This 155-pound matchup was a rematch of an exciting bout in January, where Nurmagomedov won by majority decision. Friday’s matchup shared some similarities with the first, but resulted in a much more decisive victory for Nurmagomedov, with scores of 50-45, 49-46 and 48-47 from the judges.
Nurmagomedov, cousin of the legendary Khabib Nurmagomedov, celebrated immediately after the fight, while Hughes seemed to accept his defeat before the official scores were announced.
Do you mean this fight was also close? I feel like I won every round, but it was a very tough fight against a very tough opponent.
Usman Nurmagomedov
Nurmagomedov, former Bellator MMA champion, has dominated much of his eight-year professional career. Hughes, from Northern Ireland, proved to be his toughest test yet, despite not achieving victory in two attempts. Although there were provocations during the fight, both corners showed mutual respect once the fight was over.Usman Nurmagomedov obtuvo una victoria mucho más decisiva sobre Paul Hughes en su revancha el viernes, con puntuaciones de los jueces de 50-45, 49-46 y 48-47.Hughes’ resilience and his anti-wrestling strategy led Nurmagomedov to offer, possibly, the best performance of his career. Although Nurmagomedov managed to take Hughes to the canvas on several occasions, he could not secure the finish or maintain the position. Hughes had outstanding moments, including a strong leg kick that affected Nurmagomedov, but Nurmagomedov responded with effective striking that closed Hughes’ right eye in the fifth round.
The referee Keith Peterson intervened several times due to low kicks and accidental headbutts. This was also a recurring theme in the first fight, where Hughes suffered a cut from an accidental headbutt in the fourth round. However, neither fighter was penalized for the accidental blows, and they did not seem to affect the outcome.
Nurmagomedov’s reign has been somewhat confusing over the past year, as the PFL acquired Bellator MMA at the end of 2023, but did not immediately dissolve the promotion’s belt system. Officially, Nurmagomedov won the new vacant PFL title on Friday. The PFL re-established its championships earlier this year and has several vacant title fights scheduled for 2025.
