Punches thrown as Irish and Dagestani fans clash at Usman Nurmagomedov vs Paul Hughes weigh-in
01/24/2025 04:56 PM
Ardent supporters of Usman Nurmagomedov and Paul Hughes got the fights started early at Friday’s PFL Champions Series 1 weigh-in.
Bellator lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov and top contender Paul Hughes will clash in one of 2025’s early blockbuster fights on Saturday in Dubai. But mere hours before the top lightweights enter the cage, chaos ensued as they came face-to-face for the final time before their scrap.
Nurmagomedov vs. Hughes is the latest chapter in a storied fighting rivalry between Ireland and Dagestan. Usman, the cousin of UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov, witnessed firsthand the tensions between the two nations as his cousin battled Conor McGregor earlier in their UFC careers.
While things between Nurmagomedov and Hughes don’t appear overtly personal, the competitive fire is growing between them. Just hours before they were supposed to meet in the cage, some of their supporters got into an all-out fistfight outside of the ceremonial weigh-in in Dubai.
Ireland vs. Dagestan rivalry boils over as fans brawl at PFL Champions Series weigh-in
Bloody Elbow is on-site in Dubai covering PFL Champions Series 1 this weekend and witnessed the incident first-hand. In footage below, a massive crowd tilted into a chaotic scene as several Irish and Dagestani fans threw hands.
"In all honesty, the scrap didn't seem to last too long," said Bloody Elbow's deputy editor Donagh Corby who is in Dubai. "It was over as soon as it started, and the punches that you can clearly see in the video are realistically all that was thrown. It was interesting to see Rhys McKee, who is apparently preparing for an as-yet-unannounced bout, in the mix as well as Paddy McCorry from last season's TUF. But the mood in Dubai hasn't been too badly soured and there were no major injuries. All a bit of handbags to be honest."
As of this writing, it’s uncertain if legal action will be taken against those involved in the brawl. The PFL hasn’t issued a public statement on the fan-involved incident, nor have fighters Paddy McCorry or Rhys McKee.
The Ireland vs. Dagestan feud remains tense years after Khabib vs. McGregor
This is far from the first time that Irish and Dagestani fans have gotten after it. Before and after UFC 229, Irish and Dagestani fans got into several brawls in Las Vegas while attending Nurmagomedov vs. McGregor. Nurmagomedov, who entered the UFC Hall of Fame in 2022, defeated McGregor by submission before jumping into the crowd and igniting a chaotic scene at the venue.
Years after their fight, there remains no love between Nurmagomedov and McGregor, especially amidst the rise of several of Nurmagomedov’s teammates. McGregor and Nurmagomedov have traded online barbs in recent years, including McGregor mocking his former rival’s late father Abdulmanap.
As the latest Ireland vs. Dagestan chapter gets underway in Dubai, tensions remain thick between the two nations. Fans can expect plenty of fireworks in and out of the cage as the PFL kicks off its 2025 slate.
