The rematch is on. Paul Hughes will attempt to take the PFL lightweight world title from unbeaten Usman Nurmagomedov this Friday at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai in a fight that could redefine Hughes’s career.
The pair first met in January in Dubai, with Nurmagomedov — the cousin of Khabib Nurmagomedov — edging out Hughes by majority decision. Hughes (14-2) has since rebuilt momentum with a TKO win over Bruno Miranda in May, while Nurmagomedov (19-0) returns after sitting out since their first meeting.
The card is stacked: alongside the headline lightweight clash, the main card features Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov vs Corey Anderson for the light-heavyweight title, Magomed Magomedov vs Sergio Pettis at bantamweight, and several other high-profile bouts. Preliminary action begins at 16:30 BST, with the main card at 19:30 BST and ringwalks for the main event expected around 21:30 BST. DAZN holds global broadcast rights.
Hughes told DAZN he felt his first meeting with Nurmagomedov was a strong performance despite the loss and that he has learned from it: “I proved a lot of people — and a lot of doubters — wrong, but ultimately I did not get my hand raised, so I must do that.” Confident in his power, Hughes added he’s prepared to either land a fight-ending shot or outpoint Nurmagomedov over five rounds.
Nurmagomedov remains a difficult target — elusive and technically sharp — but Hughes insists he is better prepared for every eventuality this time around.
