The Russia versus Ireland narrative at PFL Champions Series: Road to Dubai might have been borrowing from recent UFC history, but there was little doubt Usman Nurmagomedov vs. Paul Hughes was one of the most compelling lightweight fights in the first half of 2025.
Nurmagomedov, cousin of Khabib and brother of recent UFC title challenger Umar, was just 26, undefeated, and looking to defend his Bellator lightweight championship for the third time. Hughes, 27, was one of the strongest Irish prospects in years.
Not a bad way for the PFL to kick off 2025, though the shine of the fight had been overshadowed by the promotion’s recent fumbles, from unhappy fighters to the apparent death of the Bellator brand. At least until it finally arrived.
Saturday’s Road to Dubai headliner opened with a number of kicks from champ Nurmagomedov, and a lot of feeling out. A respectful first round, at least until Usman landed below the belt with a kick roughly three minutes in. Hughes didn’t take much time to recover, and came off the restart hot, catching Nurmagomedov at least once on the way in. A moment later, however, it was Hughes landing low with a push kick. Well, the low blow scorecard read 1-1; they finished out the round with no additional fouls.
Early in the second, a Hughes switch kick put Nurmagomedov off-balance. A moment later, Hughes deftly defended a takedown attempt. In both cases, Nurmagomedov kept his cool, and Hughes stayed patient. About two minutes in, the pair engaged in a frantic clinch battle, first at center, then along the fence. Nurmagomedov had the Thai clinch, but it was Hughes ripping the body. Nurmagomedov reversed, and launched a nasty-looking elbow off the break that just missed landing clean. When they came together again, it was more bodywork from Hughes, who seemed to have tenderizing the body down as part of his game plan.
It was Nurmagomedov, moments later, landing perhaps the best punch of the fight to that point. Yet Hughes gave little reaction to being tagged, eating the shot and proving to have a solid chin. Another clinch, another scrappy exchange, with Usman looking to land a knee, and Hughes firing an overhand followed by more shots to the midsection.
After a quiet opening frame, the second round had seen things really kick off. Round three opened with Nurmagomedov switching stances a few times, looking to avoid the low kicks of Hughes, and landing one of his own. Another inside leg kick from the champ followed. Usman would test Hughes’ takedown defense near the midway mark, but the Irish challenger fought it off. Then, another low blow landed, from the champ this time. Hughes, as he had in the case of the fight’s first foul, chose not to take much of a rest. When they got going again, however, a kick in close landed low by Usman Nurmagomedov again, and Hughes collapsed to the canvas in pain.
The third foul from champ Usman Nurmagomedov led to a point deduction, rarely seen in title fights. He exploded off the restart, landing a big takedown and putting a ton of pressure on the challenger when Hughes got back up. Nurmagomedov landed a couple of elbows before Hughes could create some space. Hughes went on the attack late, Nurmagomedov launched a jump knee, and Hughes ripped the body prior to the bell. Still, a round that Nurmagomedov would almost certainly have won was likely even at best heading into the championship rounds.
A quiet first, action-packed, even second round, and the point deduction in the third made the fourth round an interesting prospect. It opened at a measured, reduced pace, both men feeling things out again, each seemingly wary of giving the other an opening or making a critical error. Hughes held center, and found a home for his right hand about a minute in. Nurmagomedov relied on side kicks and circling, but Paul Hughes began to work his uppercut. The champ went to the Irish fighter’s lead leg. Another of those was checked by Hughes a short time later. Hughes fired a body kick. And then, another foul, this time a head clash that left Hughes wounded and licking his own blood. Despite the visual evidence, it was actually Nurmagomedov who appeared to be in worse shape after the collision, resulting in the doctor being brought into the cage.
While Paul Hughes stared at his opponent and played to the crowd, Usman Nurmagomedov took a decent rest, before finally telling the doc he was good to go. Off the restart, Nurmagomedov landed a huge takedown, keep Hughes on his back for the final 30 seconds or so, and landing some ground n’ pound late.
With the point deduction in the third, round five loomed large for Usman Nurmagomedov. He’d likely won the fourth, with the first and second harder to score. The wrestling of Nurmagomedov paid off early in the final frame, with the champ taking Hughes to his knees along the fence. There, Nurmagomedov landed knee after knee to the thigh of the challenger, the crowd cheering as each blow landed. Hughes would get back up, but Nurmagomedov dragged him right back down after he exploded to his feet. This time, Hughes would scramble up much quicker, and a moment later, it was Hughes getting Nurmagomedov down, albeit for a split second.
Late in the frame, the champ appeared to clip Hughes, and Nurmagomedov briefly went after him, though Hughes survived. Hughes worked his jab and looked to land his uppercut, then went back to the body. In the final seconds, Nurmagomedov went after a takedown, but Hughes reversed, sending the pair back to the feet to trade to the final bell!
A thriller of a fight, and a head-scratcher on the scoring front, thanks to the point deduction. In the end, one judge had it a draw, 47-47, and two others sided with Usman Nurmagomedov 48-46. Following the win, Nurmagomedov was greeted by a lukewarm crowd and admitted he’d overlooked Hughes, calling it “my small mistake.” Hughes, apparently having won over the fans in Dubai, got a decent reaction when he called for a rematch in Belfast. That should be an easy sell, and the PFL would be wise to book it.
Official Result: Usman Nurmagomedov def. Paul Hughes by majority decision (47-47, 48-46, 48-47)
