Nurmagomedov Wins PFL Lightweight Title

On Oct. 3, 2025 at Dubai’s Coca‑Cola Arena, undefeated Usman Nurmagomedov defeated Paul Hughes by unanimous decision after five rounds to claim the inaugural PFL lightweight title, with judges’ scorecards reading 50–45, 49–46 and 48–47. The wide scoring — particularly the 50–45 card — drew criticism and renewed calls for a trilogy after a competitive fight in which Nurmagomedov leaned on punishing grappling and timely striking while Hughes repeatedly scrambled back to his feet and landed his own offense. The bout featured contentious moments including low blows, a groin‑shot stoppage and an echoed head‑butt incident. Reports indicated substantial purses of roughly $500,000 for Nurmagomedov and $250,000 for Hughes. The event was streamed on ESPN+ in the U.S. and on DAZN internationally. Nurmagomedov was cornered by cousin Khabib Nurmagomedov, and both fighters left open the possibility of another matchup.