Tag: Road to Dubai

Video – PFL Fighter Suffers Horrific Broken Arm Injury in Dubai

Video - Fighter Suffers Horrific Broken Arm Injury at PFL Road to DubaiThings did not go as planned for PFL standout Mostafa Abada Rashed Neda in Dubai. In just the second…

Video - Fighter Suffers Horrific Broken Arm Injury at PFL Road to Dubai

Things did not go as planned for PFL standout Mostafa Abada Rashed Neda in Dubai.

In just the second bout of the promotion’s Road to Dubai card on Saturday, the Saudi fighter suffered a brutal injury when his opponent, Haider Khan, unleashed a front kick that ended things in a flash. Neda attempted to block the kick with his forearm but immediately paid the price when his forearm literally snapped in half, forcing him to put the arm back in place while retreating from his opponent.

Fortunately, the referee and Khan recognized the injury immediately and the bout was promptly stopped at the 3:18 mark of the opening round.

Check out the PFL fighter’s brutal injury below:

The victory moved Haider Khan to 9-1 in his mixed martial arts career with five of his wins coming inside the distance. Neda fell to 9-4 overall and saw his five-fight win streak snapped with the loss to Khan. Neda has been finished in all four of his losses.

PFL Road To Dubai Champions Series Results & Highlights: Usman Nurmagomedov Outlasts Paul Hughes

The PFL Champions Series: Road to Dubai event took place on Saturday, and MMA News has you covered with all the action. After announcing a slew of changes to its organization for 2025, including the elimination of the Bellator brand, the Professional Fighters League kicked things off for this year with a Bellator champion defending […]

The PFL Champions Series: Road to Dubai event took place on Saturday, and MMA News has you covered with all the action.

After announcing a slew of changes to its organization for 2025, including the elimination of the Bellator brand, the Professional Fighters League kicked things off for this year with a Bellator champion defending their gold.

In the main event of today’s event at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, lightweight kingpin Usman Nurmagomedov faced the challenge of highly regarded Irishman Paul Hughes — a headliner branded ‘Dagestani vs. Ireland 2’ promotionally in reference to Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor’s heated rivalry from a number of years ago.

The gold stayed put by narrow margins, with Nurmagomedov getting the nod on two of the three scorecards for the majority decision win following five rounds of competitive and enthralling action.

Two other clashes between Dagestani and Irish fighters went down on the main card, with Nathan Kelly battling Akhmed Magomedov and Kenny Mokhonoana meeting Ibragim Ibragimov.

And just before the main attraction, former Bellator light heavyweight champ Vadim Nemkov faced his next heavyweight challenge in the co-main event, sharing the SmartCage with ex-UFC contender and 2024 PFL heavyweight season semifinalist Tim Johnson. In what marked the final fight of his contract, the Russian netted a quick first-round submission.

With the event concluded, see below for the full results and all the best highlights!

PFL Champions Series: Nurmagomedov vs. Hughes Results & Highlights

Main Card:

  • Bellator Lightweight Championship Main Event: Usman Nurmagomedov def. Paul Hughes via majority decision (47-47, 48-46, 48-46)
  • Heavyweight Co-Main Event: Vadim Nemkov def. Tim Johnson via submission (rear-naked choke): R1, 3:08
  • Featherweight: Akhmed Magomedov def. Nathan Kelly via submission (rear-naked choke): R2, 4:22
  • Featherweight: Ibragim Ibragimov def. Kenny Mokhonoana via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
  • Bantamweight: Renat Khavalov def. Cleiver Fernandes via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
  • Catchweight (199lbs): Ahmed Samy def. Tarek Suleiman via TKO (punches & elbows): R1, 5:00
  • Lightweight: Mirafzal Akhtamov def. Mike Thompson via technical submission (arm-triangle choke): R2, 2:50
  • Flyweight: Hadi Omar Al Hussaini def. Ruel Panales via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 30-27)
  • Lightweight: John Mitchell def. Souhil Tairi via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
  • Middleweight: Haider Khan def. Mostafa Nada via TKO (arm injury): R1, 3:18
  • Amateur Lightweight: Talal Alqallaf def. Saeed Alhosani via unanimous decision (29-27, 29-28, 30-27)

Talal Alqallaf Def. Saeed Alhosani

Haider Khan Def. Mostafa Nada

John Mitchell Def. Souhil Tairi

Hadi Omar Al Hussaini Def. Ruel Panales

Mirafzal Akhtamov Def. Mike Thompson

Ahmed Samy Def. Tarek Suleiman

Renat Khavalov Def. Cleiver Fernandes

Ibragim Ibragimov Def. Kenny Mokhonoana

Akhmed Magomedov Def. Nathan Kelly

Vadim Nemkov Def. Tim Johnson

Usman Nurmagomedov Def. Paul Hughes

Usman Nurmagomedov Compares Rivalry with Paul Hughes to Iconic Khabib vs. Conor Feud

Usman Nurmagomedov Compares His Rivalry with Paul Hughes to Iconic Khabib vs. Conor FeudMove over Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor, there’s a new Russia vs. Ireland rivalry in town. On Saturday, January…

Usman Nurmagomedov Compares His Rivalry with Paul Hughes to Iconic Khabib vs. Conor Feud

Move over Khabib Nurmagomedov and Conor McGregor, there’s a new Russia vs. Ireland rivalry in town.

On Saturday, January 24, reigning Bellator lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov will put his gold on the line when the PFL heads to Dubai for a Champions Series event inside the Coca-Cola Arena. In the main event of the evening, the undefeated Dagestani will defend his title against surging Irish star Paul Hughes in a bout that has become just as much personal as it is business.

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In the weeks leading up to their scrap, tensions have flared, much of it having to do with Khabib Nurmagomedov’s comments about the lack of legitimate fighters from Ireland, especially when compared to Dagestan’s influx of emerging stars.

“Ireland don’t have fighters, brother,” Khabib told the PFL. “Let’s be honest. How many fighters do you know from Ireland? Paul Hughes and Conor [McGregor], and who else? There is no fighters.”

Adding his take on the debate during an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda MMA, Usman Nurmagomedov echoed Khabib’s comments adding that ‘The Eagle’ showed the world why Dagestan stands above Ireland in mixed martial arts, a reference to the former UFC lightweight champion’s submission victory over Irish megastar Conor McGregor in 2018.

“This is Dagestan vs. Ireland in sports, not from people,” Usman Nurmagomedov said. “We cannot touch national… Sounds good, why not?… I think our level, big different than Ireland. Khabib showed this to people, and Inshaallah, I will show it, too.”

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Nurmagomedov insists paul Hughes has no way to win

As for Paul Hughes’ chances of dethroning the Dagestani in Dubai on Saturday, Nurmagomedov can’t say any path to victory for his Irish opposition.

“He said when he punches me, something will change – but who can do that? Someone has punched me? Never. No. Nobody can touch me,” Nurmagomedov added. “Sometimes, I’m really thinking like, ‘How can he beat me? How?’ Even striking, I’m much better than him in striking. I don’t know what his plan is for this fight, but I will follow my plans and do my job. I don’t care what he will do.”

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The Road to Dubai Champions Series card is scheduled to air at 11 am ET, 4 pm GMT. Fans in the United States can catch all the action live on MAX while fans around the world can tune in on DAZN.

Former Bellator Champ Vadim Nemkov Outlines What PFL Must Do To Keep Him

Vadim Nemkov isn’t entirely satisfied with how he has been treated since becoming a PFL fighter but he isn’t looking for the exit door either. In fact, despite having the last fight on his current contract this weekend, he is happy to stay with the promotion if they’re able to give him what he was […]

Vadim Nemkov isn’t entirely satisfied with how he has been treated since becoming a PFL fighter but he isn’t looking for the exit door either. In fact, despite having the last fight on his current contract this weekend, he is happy to stay with the promotion if they’re able to give him what he was initially promised.

The Russian is one of the big names and talents that the PFL acquired when they bought Bellator towards the end of 2023 but embedding that huge influx of new fighters have been far less than seamless. Several fighters have been very vocal about this with major names like Gegard Mousasi and Patrício Pitbull being granted their releases from their contracts as a result.

The promotion is seemingly looking to address this in 2025 by re-shaping their format and Nemkov is seemingly optimistic about the future. One problem did arise when he wasn’t happy with the way that the promotion went about announcing a fight between him and Corey Anderson, who he beat in 2022, without him agreeing to this matchup.

His bout at this weekend’s Road to Dubai event was then changed to be a clash with Tim Johnson who Nemkov believes is a viable opponent for him as he continues to progress as a heavyweight having previously been the Bellator light heavyweight champion. With this settled, the former titleholder’s main complaint, as he detailed in a recent interview with MMA Junkie, is the same issue that the other fighters have had and that’s activity.

Nemkov says that having not fought since February last year where he submitted Bruno Cappelozza, he’s open to the idea of committing his future to the PFL if they’re going to honor their claims of how many fights he will be offered over a set amount of time. At 32-years old, he just wants to be able to regularly compete.

“It’s the last fight on my contract,” Nemkov said through an interpreter. “I was supposed to have four fights during the two years, and I only had one. This is going to be the second fight. … Honestly speaking, I’m OK with the PFL. The thing is I’m at the peak of my fighting career. I feel great. If they’re able to provide what we were supposed to do from the beginning, with three or four fights a year, I would be fine with that. But as of right now, I’m just concentrating on this fight.”

Ireland’s Paul Hughes Plans To Tell Khabib ‘I Told You So’ After Beating Dagestan’s Usman Nurmagomedov

PFL star Paul Hughes is excited for Khabib Nurmagomedov to have a cageside view to his recent claim about Ireland being proved emphatically wrong later this month. Khabib, a former UFC lightweight champion, has put considerable time into coaching since ending his career as a 29-0 professional. And after cornering Islam Makhachev and Umar Nurmagomedov […]

PFL star Paul Hughes is excited for Khabib Nurmagomedov to have a cageside view to his recent claim about Ireland being proved emphatically wrong later this month.

Khabib, a former UFC lightweight champion, has put considerable time into coaching since ending his career as a 29-0 professional. And after cornering Islam Makhachev and Umar Nurmagomedov in Los Angeles on Jan. 18, “The Eagle” will head to Dubai for Usman Nurmagomedov’s Bellator title defense.

Ahead of the PFL Champions Series: Road to Dubai event on Jan. 25, the Dagestani has been doing some promotional work on social media by claiming his region’s superiority over that of his cousin’s opponent, Ireland’s Hughes.

During a recent interview with BBC Sport NI, Hughes recalled his first time seeing Khabib suggest that Ireland ‘doesn’t have fighters’, a remark that brought back memories of his crushing triumph over Conor McGregor in 2018.

The 27-year-old expects to prove the UFC legend wrong come fight night in Dubai, and he’s got some words ready to tell “The Eagle” in the aftermath.

“I was out with a friend, and I saw it and thought, ‘I don’t really care.’ It’s just fight stuff but it’s good for marketing, it’s good he’s doing that, but I don’t really care,” Hughes said. “I respect him as a fighter, but I don’t care what his opinion is.

“Knowing he’ll be in Usman’s corner, I think when I win, I’ll be like, ‘I told you so,’ and that will be pleasurable but that is the competitor in me,” Hughes added.

Hughes has also reacted plenty of times on social media, first telling Khabib that McGregor ‘made him famous’, before most recently taking a dig at Usman’s failed drug test in 2023.

Paul Hughes Gives 4-Word Reaction To Khabib Nurmagomedov Claiming ‘Ireland Don’t Have Fighters’

In a recent social media video posted by the PFL, Khabib Nurmagomedov criticized the credibility of Irish fighters. The former UFC lightweight champion has his own well-documented history with one fighter in particular from this region which led to the biggest fight in the history of the sport seven years ago. For team Khabib, they’ve […]

In a recent social media video posted by the PFL, Khabib Nurmagomedov criticized the credibility of Irish fighters. The former UFC lightweight champion has his own well-documented history with one fighter in particular from this region which led to the biggest fight in the history of the sport seven years ago.

For team Khabib, they’ve got an extremely busy start to 2025 as after UFC 311 takes place, where Islam Makhachev and Umar Nurmagomedov will feature at the top of the card, it’s Usman Nurmagomedov’s turn at the PFL’s Road to Dubai event on January 25. At the Coca-Cola Arena, the undefeated Bellator lightweight champion will defend his title against Ireland’s Paul Hughes in a highly anticipated showdown.

Following Hughes’ prompt, the promotion has marketed the main event as the next instalment in the MMA rivalry between Ireland and Dagestan but Khabib doesn’t think that this is any kind of competition. Despite the amount of success that Ireland has had in combat sports despite its population, “The Eagle” is yet to be impressed by what the emerald isle has to offer, especially in regards to comparisons with Dagestan.

“Ireland don’t have fighters, brother,” Nurmagomedov said in an interview with PFL. “Let’s be honest: How many fighters from Ireland? Paul Hughes and Conor. Who else? There is no fighters, brother. You come to Dagestan, you can understand. So many organizations, they don’t even want to sign Dagestan fighters because they worry about like, everybody can become champion.

“Let’s be honest: Dagestan level of MMA here (up high),” Nurmagomedov said. “But Ireland level, like not even half of Dagestan level.”

Hughes’ response was simple and to the point. With coach Khabib seemingly having a front row seat for January 25 from the corner of the defending champion, “Big News” is excited to prove him wrong.