Tag: Road to Dubai

PFL Announces Full Undercard For Road To Dubai Champions Series: Nurmagomedov vs. Hughes

The Professional Fighters League (PFL) will look to kick off the new year in style when it touches down in Dubai for the first Champions Series event of 2025. After completing its 2024 schedule with the PFL Europe Championship event in Lyon, France last week, the PFL’s attention will turn to a year that looks […]

The Professional Fighters League (PFL) will look to kick off the new year in style when it touches down in Dubai for the first Champions Series event of 2025.

After completing its 2024 schedule with the PFL Europe Championship event in Lyon, France last week, the PFL’s attention will turn to a year that looks set to be key in its pursuit of building a fanbase and becoming legitimate competition to the UFC.

There remains a lot of uncertainty entering 2025, especially regarding the status of a host of Bellator fighters who have made their frustration with their new employers known publicly.

While there hasn’t been much in response to the likes of Patricio Pitbull and Patchy Mix’s complaints, founder Donn Davis has surfaced on social media to promise that the PFL will stage more cards than ever in the new year.

That starts on Jan. 25 at UAE’s Coca-Cola Arena, where a seemingly revamped version of this year’s Bellator Champions Series will debut. While the Bellator brand is no longer mentioned in the event name, one of its champions will be in action as lightweight kingpin Usman Nurmagomedov defends his gold against Paul Hughes.

And this week, the PFL has rolled out the full undercard, mostly made up of rising names from the Middle East.

The organization is reportedly looking to put a late-notice co-headliner together after two matchups announced for Vadim Nemkov fell through. After a clash with Ante Delija was announced despite the Croatian being injured, a heavyweight trilogy versus Corey Anderson was set instead.

That evidently was announced prematurely, too, with the Russian seemingly turning down another battle with the current Bellator light heavyweight titleholder.

Main Card:

  • Bellator Lightweight Title: Usman Nurmagomedov (18-0) vs. Paul Hughes (13-1)
  • Featherweight: Khasan Magomedsharipov (10-0) vs. Nathan Kelly (11-2)
  • Featherweight: Ibragim Ibragimov (8-0) vs. Kenny Mokhonoana (5-1)
  • Bantamweight: Renat Khavalov (8-0) vs. Cleiver Fernandes (9-1)

Preliminary Card:

  • Middleweight: Tarek Suleiman (13-8) vs. Ahmed Samy (11-4)
  • Flyweight: Hadi Omar Al Hussaini (5-1-1) vs. Ruel Pañales (5-2)
  • Middleweight: Yakub Sulimanov (7-0) vs. Jarrah Al-Selawe (20-7)
  • Lightweight: John Mitchell (9-2) vs. Souhil Tairi (7-5-1)
  • Featherweight: Youssef Al Housani (4-1) vs. Assem Ghanem (4-0)
  • Middleweight: Mostafa Nada (9-3) vs. Haider Khan (8-1)
  • Lightweight: Mirafzal Akhtamov (7-0-1) vs. Mike Thompson (7-2)
Ibragim Ibragimov
Ibragim Ibragimov (image: PFL MMA)

Paul Hughes Willing To Go To ‘Depths Of Hell’ To Knock Out Undefeated Usman Nurmagomedov

MMA fans, specifically those in the UK, have been hearing a lot about Paul Hughes and his potential for some time now. After he signed to the PFL earlier this year, he would now have the platform to really progress up the ladder and show what he is truly capable of. Hughes has always been […]

MMA fans, specifically those in the UK, have been hearing a lot about Paul Hughes and his potential for some time now. After he signed to the PFL earlier this year, he would now have the platform to really progress up the ladder and show what he is truly capable of.

Hughes has always been incredibly confident in his own ability and he’s not afraid to put himself out there but even with that in mind, his last fight came as a shock. Many believed that taking on A.J. McKee in his second fight with the promotion would be an instance of too much, too soon for the Irishman.

At PFL’s Battle of the Giants, he rose to the occasion by putting on a great performance to beat McKee in Riyadh and after defeating such a high-level opponent, there was only one logical next step for “Big News” and that’s the world championship. At the Road to Dubai Champions Series on January 25, Hughes will take on the undefeated Bellator lightweight champ, Usman Nurmagomedov.

The 27-year old knows that this is a huge test for him but he believes that even the win over McKee was only scratching the surface of what he’s capable of. He expects Nurmagomedov to really push him in this fight but just like in October, that pressure will bring the best out of him.

Hughes spoke about the fight in a recent interview with the Belfast Telegraph where he explained where he’s at mentally going into the biggest fight of his career.

“I see a knockout, 100 per cent. I may have to go to the depths of hell to beat this guy, and I will be prepared for that but I trust in my fight IQ, instincts and killer ability to find a way to get Usman out of there. I said I would knock out AJ and came within millimetres of doing it.

“I still beat him up, but I was close to knocking him out with the exact shot I called. I definitely see a knockout against Usman. There is a lot more to come from me. My last performance was a six out of ten, for many reasons. I have to be a ten out of ten to beat Usman, he is that good.”

Two More Ireland vs. Dagestan Fights Added To Usman Nurmagomedov vs. Paul Hughes PFL Card

On January 25, the PFL is set to host its first event in Dubai with the Road To Dubai Champions Series at the Coca-Cola Arena. In the main event, the undefeated Bellator lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov will face the rising star Paul Hughes in a highly anticipated title fight. Following Hughes’ win over A.J. McKee […]

On January 25, the PFL is set to host its first event in Dubai with the Road To Dubai Champions Series at the Coca-Cola Arena. In the main event, the undefeated Bellator lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov will face the rising star Paul Hughes in a highly anticipated title fight.

Following Hughes’ win over A.J. McKee at Battle of the Giants, he called for this fight and immediately attached the perfect tagline to it. When the event was announced, it was promoted as Ireland vs Dagestan 2 in reference to the biggest fight in the history of the sport between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor.

As the cousin of Khabib, we know that the defending champion will have his family involved for this fight though it seems unlikely that the same can be said for McGregor linking up with Hughes right now. However, PFL appears to be doubling down on this particular theme for the card following the announcement of two more matchups that pit Ireland against Dagestan.

A fantastic featherweight clash will see the undefeated Khasan Magomedsharipov take on Nate Kelly. Khasan, who is the younger brother of the former UFC featherweight contender Zabit Magomedsharipov, has won five consecutive fights under the Bellator banner and was recently named in the top 10 of ESPN’s 25 under 25 list for 2024.

Ireland’s Kelly trains out of the same gym as McGregor, SBG Dublin, and has gone 10-0 since losing the first two pro fights of his career, having fought in both Bellator and the PFL in recent years.

A second bout sees another undefeated fighter with Dagestani origins facing one of the emerald isle’s finest. 20-year old Ibragim Ibragimov also represents the English flag having been born in Dagestan before moving at a young age. The 8-0 featherweight out of Manchester Top Team recently earned a decision win over Nacho Campos at Battle of the Giants. His opponent will be another SBG Ireland fighter, Kenny Mokhonoana.

The 27-year old has amassed a 5-1 record with two first-round finishes already under his belt in Bellator. His last fight in September last year saw him suffer his first pro loss to the highly regarded undefeated Welsh fighter Josh O’Connor.

A trilogy fight between Vadim Nemkov and Bellator light heavyweight champion Corey Anderson at heavyweight was also recently confirmed for the card.