Nurmagomedov tops Hughes in thriller to retain Bellator title

Usman Nurmagomedov remained the Bellator lightweight champion after a back-and-forth fight with Paul Hughes on Saturday, defeating him via majority decision in the PFL Dubai main event.

Two judges scored the fight 48-46 for Nurmagomedov, and the third had it a 47-47 draw.

It was a thrilling matchup from start to finish, perhaps the best in PFL history. Nurmagomedov stayed a bit busier in the stand-up department and mixed in takedowns to squeak by Hughes and remain undefeated, but Hughes' stock went up after a gutsy effort to seize the throne.

"Paul Hughes, brother, you are the man," Nurmagomedov said in his postfight interview. "You're tough. I underestimated this guy. It was my little mistake."

Nurmagomedov lost a point in the third round due to a low blow, resulting in the 47-47 scorecard.

The champion gave Hughes kudos for managing to keep the fight on the feet often.

"His wrestling defense, takedown defense (was) very (good)," Nurmagomedov said. "He's tough, he's strong. I didn't think he would be this strong. Brother, you were really strong. You tell me in the face-to-face this is my mistake. You were right, brother.

"I think I jumped to the next level because of him. He make me better than I was today. I think for sure he will become better, too."

Hughes was the biggest test of Nurmagomedov's career, landing hard body shots and clipping him with counters. But Nurmagomedov used his reach advantage to outstrike Hughes from a distance, especially early in the rounds. Nurmagomedov also controlled Hughes on the ground for some of the fourth and fifth rounds.

Hughes tended to get stronger as the rounds went on, and he ended the fight impressively, tagging Nurmagomedov with a flurry of punches against the fence.

Hughes said he was "heartbroken" after the result and thought he deserved the judges' nod.

"I'm so disappointed," Hughes said. "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. I thought I won, but look, I probably left something in the tank. I need to give everything next time, and I will."

Hughes said he hopes to stage a rematch with Nurmagomedov in his hometown of Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Nurmagomedov has now successfully defended the Bellator lightweight title three times since becoming champion in 2022. The 26-year-old Dagestani, a cousin of UFC Hall of Famer Khabib, lifted his professional record to 19-0 (1 NC) with Saturday's victory.

As the PFL begins a new chapter in 2025, there's a chance Nurmagomedov-Hughes was the final Bellator title fight ever. The PFL, which acquired Bellator in late 2023, announced earlier this month it was retiring the Bellator brand after using both brands in 2024. This means the future of Nurmagomedov's title - and all other Bellator titles - is up in the air. No other Bellator title fights are currently scheduled.

Hughes suffered his first loss in the PFL against Nurmagomedov, falling to 2-1 in the promotion and 13-2 overall. The 27-year-old Irishman signed with the PFL as a free agent last year and beat Bobby King and AJ McKee to earn a title shot. Hughes had won seven in a row coming in.

"There's a lot of respect," Hughes said of his relationship with Nurmagomedov following their fight. "And I know for a fact we're gonna do it again someday, and I know that I will be the victor next time."