Paul Hughes thinks he got a raw deal against Usman Nurmagomedov at PFL Champions Series: Road to Dubai.
Coming in as a sizeable underdog to the undefeated Bellator lightweight champion, Hughes (13-2) pushed Nurmagomedov (19-0) to his limit over five rounds of thrilling action in a majority decision defeat. He had significant momentum at multiple points in the fight, and raised his hands when the final bell sounded after 25 minutes.
Unfortunately for Hughes, however, his confidence didn’t match the scorecards of the three cageside judges. Even with Nurmagomedov being deducted a point for low blows in Round 3, two judges had it 48-46 in his favor, while the other had it a 47-47 draw. Nurmagomedov left with the belt and his undefeated record in tact, while Hughes left with a broken heart.
“We all thought I won that one,” Hughes said post-fight on Instagram. “I think the judges’ scorecards were pretty ridiculous. But I’ll watch it back with a clear mind. I’m just judging from the energy of the arena and everyone surrounding the cage that thought it was mine. I’m not going to make excuses, though. I should’ve pushed harder. And I will the next time. I know we’ll fight again.”
Another key moment in the fight Hughes felt where he lost some edge was when a accidental clash of heads in Round 4 led to a lengthy timeout in the action. He was cut open when Nurmagomedov was seemingly rocked, but the fight continued.
“I felt like the stoppage in the fourth round with the head clash, changed the momentum of the fight,” Hughes said. “I feel like I was breaking him. I was ripping him so hard to the body and I felt him wheezing. I knew my momentum was coming on and I would’ve emptied the tank, but that changed the flow and he got recovery. Which, look, the head butt was a head butt. It was accidental. He has all the right to take that recovery.”
Although he is emotionally pained by the result and falling short of a major accomplishment in defeating Nurmagomedov, 26, it appears this will be a driving force for Hughes, 27, going forward. His desire for a rematch is strong, and he’s determined to leave no question about the better man next time.
“I’m obviously disappointed,” Hughes said. “I’m gutted. I’m proud of myself, but I need to get that back. I deserve to have that belt.”
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