Usman Nurmagomedov received arguably the toughest challenge yet to his Bellator Lightweight Championship on Saturday night but prevailed after five razor-thin rounds against Irish contender Paul Hughes.
Nurmagomedov won with the thinnest margins in the main event of PFL’s “Champions Series” card from the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, United Arab Emirates this weekend, scoring his victory via majority decision (48-46, 48-46 and 47-47).
A close 25 minutes of action, which primarily took place on the feet, allowed Nurmagomedov to walk away with the scorecard win.
The opening round of the fight saw Nurmagomedov throw a high volume of leg kicks against a slow-starting yet advancing Hughes. Ireland’s Hughes started to come alive in the closing moments of the round, scoring with some counter-punching.
The fight became hard to score by the second round, as both lightweights started to land effectively. Hughes’ ability to block takedowns kept the fight on the feet and forced the bout to remain in close back-and-forth exchanges at kickboxing range and in the clinch.
A pivotal third round saw Nurmagomedov suffer a significant setback, being deducted a point due to numerous instances of accidentally striking Hughes in the groin. Nurmagomedov finally started to succeed with his wrestling once the bout resumed, getting Hughes to the mat later in the round. However, the striking of Hughes remained a strong factor once they returned to the feet, scoring with a solid flurry late and connecting with a clean left hook.
Nurmagomedov used his wrestling more in the championship rounds of the fight, taking Hughes down in the fourth and fifth. The duo continued to engage in close striking exchanges, with both fighters having moments with their boxing.
The official scorecards of Eric Colon and Sal D’Amato saw Nurmagomedov earn a two-round lead through 10 minutes, then importantly force a rare 9-9 score in the third round where he was deducted a point. His early lead, plus his ability to snag a championship round on both scorecards, allowed Nurmagomedov to walk away with an incredibly close victory.
“Paul Hughes, brother, you are the man, brother,” Nurmagomedov said in his post-fight interview. “Brother, you’re tough. Honestly, I underestimated this guy. It was my little mistake. But, [I’m] still undefeated, still undisputed Bellator Lightweight Champion.”
Nurmagomedov now holds an undefeated record of 19 wins, including four previous victories as champion in Bellator. Past appearances include a 2022 victory over Patricky Pitbull, plus a close decision win against Alexander Shabliy last September.
Saturday’s result slowed the momentum of 27-year-old Hughes.
The former Cage Warriors champ had a quick rise in the PFL, earning a title shot less than a year into his run with the promotion. “Big News” Hughes became the next challenger for Nurmagomedov following a massive win in October, becoming the second-ever man to defeat former Bellator champ AJ McKee Jr.
Hughes expressed regret in his performance afterward, believing he could have done more.
“I’m so gutted, I’m so disappointed,” Hughes said shortly after the result. “I really thought I won that one. I should’ve pushed harder. Next time, I know we’re gonna fight again, there’s no question. So much respect for Usman. I thought I won tonight. But look, I probably left some in the tank. I need to give everything next time, and I will.”
Hughes later pitched the idea for a rematch in his home of Belfast, Ireland, and claimed that supporters from Nurmagomedov’s home of Dagestan, Russia would be welcomed with open arms.
The co-main event of Saturday’s PFL card saw ex-Bellator champ Vadim Nemkov earn his second win since moving up to heavyweight, submitting Tim Johnson in just over three minutes with a rear naked choke.
Here’s a full look at the results from PFL’s first event of 2025:
Main Card (11:00AM EST / 8:00PM GST) (Max)
Bout 11: Usman Nurmagomedov def. Paul Hughes via Decision, Majority (Bellator Lightweight Championship)
Bout 10: Vadim Nemkov def. Tim Johnson via Submission, Rear Naked Choke (RD 1, 3:08)
Bout 9: Akhmed Magomedov def. Nathan Kelly via Submission, Rear Naked Choke (RD 2, 4:22)
Bout 8: Ibragim Ibragimov def. Kenny Mokhonoana via Decision, Unanimous
Bout 7: Renat Khavalov def. Clever Fernandes via Decision, Unanimous
Bout 6: Ahmed Sami def. Tarek Suleiman via TKO, Strikes (RD 1, 5:00)
Bout 5: Mirafzal Akhtamov def. Mike Thompson via Submission, Arm Triangle Choke (RD 2, 2:50)
Bout 4: Hadi Omar Al Hussaini def. Ruel Panales via Decision, Unanimous
Bout 3: John Mitchell def. Souhil Tairi via Decision, Unanimous
Bout 2: Haider Khan def. Mostafa Rashed Neda via TKO, Injury (RD 1, 3:18)
Bout 1: Talal Alqallaf def. Saeed Alhosani via Decision, Unanimous (Amateur)
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