Usman Nurmagomedov Conquers PFL Title Against Hughes in Decisive Rematch

Usman Nurmagomedov consolidated his undefeated record and conquered the PFL lightweight championship after defeating Paul Hughes. Nurmagomedov (20-0) defeated Hughes (14-3) by unanimous decision in the main event of the PFL Champions Series held in Dubai. This 155-pound matchup was a rematch of an electrifying bout in January, where Nurmagomedov won by majority decision. The fight on Friday had some similarities to the first one, but resulted in a more decisive victory for Nurmagomedov. The judges scored it 50-45, 49-46 and 48-47. Nurmagomedov, cousin of the legendary Khabib Nurmagomedov, celebrated immediately after the fight, and Hughes seemed to accept his defeat before the official scores were read.

Do you mean this fight was close too? I feel like I won every round, but it was a very tough fight with a very difficult opponent.

Usman Nurmagomedov

Nurmagomedov, former Bellator MMA champion, has been dominant throughout his eight-year professional career. Hughes, from Northern Ireland, proved to be his toughest test, despite failing to achieve victory in two attempts. There was no competitive respect between them, as each fighter taunted the other during the exchanges, but both teams showed mutual respect once the fight was over.

Hughes’ defense against wrestling and his physical resistance led Nurmagomedov to, possibly, the best performance of his career. He took Hughes’ back several times, but failed to secure a finish and couldn’t even maintain the position. Hughes had some striking highlights, including a strong leg kick that awkwardly bent Nurmagomedov’s lower body, but Nurmagomedov responded with effective punches that closed Hughes’ right eye in the fifth round. Referee Keith Peterson intervened on several occasions due to low kicks and accidental headbutts. This was also a recurring theme in the first fight, where Hughes suffered a cut during 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 confusing over the last year, as the PFL acquired Bellator MMA at the end of 2023, but did not immediately dissolve 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 more vacant title fights scheduled for 2025.