PFL star Paul Hughes makes feelings known on potential rematch against Usman Nurmagomedov: "Give the fans what they want"
Paul Hughes recently shared his thoughts on a potential rematch against Usman Nurmagomedov after their incredible encounter earlier this year. The PFL star took the Dagestani to his limit in what ended up being a somewhat controversial outcome.
Nurmagomedov earned a majority decision win over Hughes at PFL Champions Series: Dubai to successfully retain his Bellator lightweight championship. The Dagestani was deducted a point for groin strikes in the third round, however, it didn't affect the judges' scorecards as they scored the bout 47-47, 48-46 and 48-46 in his favor.
During his latest appearance on The Craic, Hughes noted that he is still interested in a rematch against Nurmagomedov. The Irishman mentioned that he believes that it is a logical bout to book because of the response to their first encounter and that the PFL should appease their fan base:
"It's obviously a no brainer after the Usman [Nurmagomedov] fight happens that we're going to rematch and that has to happen. Like, nobody wants to see me go into a tournament and not fight Usman. People just want to see me rematch him and it's just that simple. And, you got to give the fans what they want in MMA. You got to give them what they want. As a brand, from an organization, you have to keep the fans happy and this is what people want to see."
Check out the full episode featuring Paul Hughes' comments below:
When is Paul Hughes' next bout?
Paul Hughes is set to return to the SmartCage, but it won't be for an immediate rematch against Usman Nurmagomedov.
Despite fans clamoring for a rematch between Nurmagomedov and Hughes, the latter will instead be competing at PFL Europe: Belfast, where he will take on Bruno Miranda in the main event.
The event is scheduled to take place at the SSE Arena on May 10 and will also feature the opening round of the 2025 PFL Europe lightweight tournament.
Check out the official announcement for Paul Hughes' PFL Europe: Belfast bout below: