Usman Nurmagomedov, demonstrated his dominance once again by defeating Paul Hughes in the PFL Champions series in Dubai, securing the lightweight championship.
Nurmagomedov (20-0) defeated Hughes (14-3) by unanimous decision in a fight that served as a rematch of a previous encounter in January, where Nurmagomedov also emerged victorious by majority decision. Friday’s fight, although with similarities, showed a more forceful Nurmagomedov, with judges’ scorecards of 50-45, 49-46 and 48-47.
After the victory, Nurmagomedov, cousin of the legendary Khabib Nurmagomedov, celebrated immediately, while Hughes accepted his defeat before the official scores were announced.
Do you mean this fight was close too? I feel like I won every round, but it was a very tough fight against a very tough opponent.
Usman Nurmagomedov
Nurmagomedov, former champion in Bellator MMA, has maintained an almost impeccable record during his eight-year professional career. Hughes, from Northern Ireland, became his biggest challenge, despite the two defeats.Usman Nurmagomedov logró una victoria más decisiva sobre Paul Hughes en su revancha el viernes, con puntuaciones de los jueces de 50-45, 49-46 y 48-47.Hughes’ strategy, focused on wrestling defense and his physical endurance, forced Nurmagomedov to deliver arguably the best performance of his career. Although Nurmagomedov managed to dominate Hughes’ back on several occasions, he couldn’t secure a finish and struggled to maintain position. Hughes had his moments, including a powerful kick that affected Nurmagomedov, but the latter 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, a pattern that was repeated from the first fight, where Hughes suffered a cut from an accidental headbutt in the fourth round. However, neither of the fighters was penalized for these accidental blows, and they did not seem to influence the outcome.
Nurmagomedov’s reign has been somewhat confusing due to the acquisition of Bellator MMA by the PFL at the end of 2023, without immediately dissolving the belt system of the now-defunct promotion. Officially, Nurmagomedov won the new vacant PFL title on Friday. The PFL essentially restarted its championships earlier this year and has several vacant title fights scheduled for 2025.
