'He was ready to die'… Usman Nurmagomedov on what surprised him most about Paul Hughes
02/12/2025 12:23 PM
Many believe that Paul Hughes took home the moral victory even if he didn’t get his hand raised.
At the PFL’s Road to Dubai Champions Series event last month, Usman Nurmagomedovsuccessfully defended the Bellator lightweight title via a majority decision.
The champion may have remained undefeated but he was pushed to the wire by Ireland’s Paul Hughes who quickly ascended into a title shot following his breakout win over AJ McKee.
Having been fairly dismissive of his challenger in the build up to the fight, Nurmagomedov admitted after the final bell that he underestimated ‘Big News’.
He certainly won’t make the same mistake again after seeing the Irishman stand across the cage from him with blood running down his head and a smile on his face in the championship rounds.
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Usman Nurmagomedov says that Paul Hughes’ fighting spirit surprised him the most
In a recent interview with MMA Fighting, Usman Nurmagomedov spoke about what surprised him the most about Paul Hughes in what was another standout performance from the 27-year-old.
The champion believed that his experience would be too much for his opponent and whilst he still thinks that this made a critical difference, he was taken aback by the tenacity and durability of his opponent.
He’s still confident that he won the fight but after seeing what Hughes was willing to put himself through to secure the win, he had to acknowledge the heart that was on display in their instant classic bout at the Coca-Cola Arena.
Despite being impressed by Hughes, Nurmagomedov maintained that he believes the Irishman needs to bounce back with a win before they can book a rematch.
“I think he was ready to die. I see it on his eye, he was ready to die but he did mistake. He don’t tire so much but he don’t push how he can. I think this is his mistake. He think he won some rounds but I know he don’t because I have experience for five rounds and I control every round. What I did, how many punches I did, how many punches he landed and I think he just need experience. I think if he will win one fight, we can do it again.”
Usman Nurmagomedov also had to dig deep in Dubai
Paul Hughes may have been the one that was getting the crowd hyped up by showcasing an incredible fighting spirit but Usman Nurmagomedov also had to demonstrate his own stubborn will.
The undefeated champion was pushed in this fight but was able to get his hand raised at the end of a tough five rounds where we learned a lot about both men.
After the fight totally smashed its already high expectations, it feels inevitable that a rematch will take place in the near future whether it’s the next outing for both men or not.
Nurmagomedov certainly knows now that he cannot afford to underestimate Paul Hughes especially when it comes to his fighting spirit.
