Usman Nurmagomedov might have walked away with his undefeated record intact, but he's the first to admit—his latest title defense wasn’t his best performance. The Bellator lightweight champion, now competing under the PFL banner, successfully defended his belt against a tough opponent, Irisman Paul Hughes, at the PFL Road to Dubai Champions Series last month. The event took place at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, and while Nurmagomedov came out on top via a majority decision (47-47, 48-46, 48-46), he believes fans haven’t seen his full potential just yet.
“I think I could’ve prepared better for this fight,” Nurmagomedov told MMA Junkie. “I know I can be better—way better—than what I showed that night. I’m sure I could have finished him. After reviewing the fight, I saw a lot of mistakes. To be honest, I was only at 50 percent in that cage. Next time, I’ll be ready at 100 percent, and I know I can get the finish.”
That’s a bold statement from a fighter who already secured the win, but for Nurmagomedov, it’s more about proving to himself—and his fans—that he’s capable of more. While Hughes put up a strong fight, Nurmagomedov knows he didn’t step into the cage at his best.
The Challenges Behind the Scenes
So, what held him back? According to the undefeated champ, his training camp was far from ideal. While his main training partners, including stars like Umar Nurmagomedov, Islam Makhachev, and Tagir Ulanbekov, were in San Jose training at AKA, he was stuck in Dagestan, training with limited partners and without his full coaching staff.
“I had to do my camp mostly alone,” he explained. “I trained with some tough guys—one or two—but that’s not enough. When you don’t have your coaches, it’s really hard to push yourself to the next level. Everyone was focused on Umar, Islam, and Tagir in America, and I was in Dagestan, training at home. It’s different when you’re at home with your family. Sometimes, you spend a little too much time with them, go out for dinner with your brothers, and it messes with your recovery. That made me tired, and I wasn’t at 100 percent.”
And to make matters worse? Just before heading to Dubai, he got sick.
“When I arrived, I was already feeling off. I was sick two weeks before the fight,” he revealed. “That definitely affected my conditioning. But no excuses—I still won.”
Should There Be a Rematch?
Given how competitive and entertaining the fight was, there’s already buzz about an immediate rematch. Some fans and analysts even called it one of the best fights in PFL history, arguing that Hughes deserves another shot at the belt.
But Nurmagomedov? He’s not so sure Hughes has earned that privilege just yet.
“If the fans want it, why not?” he said. “But he needs to prove himself first. Let him fight someone else and win. Then, we can talk about a rematch. You can’t just lose all five rounds and say, ‘Oh, I was close to finishing him.’ It doesn’t work like that.”
That’s a strong stance from the champ, but he’s not wrong. While Hughes had his moments, Nurmagomedov largely controlled the fight. From his perspective, a rematch isn’t necessary unless Hughes goes out and earns another shot.
What’s Next for Nurmagomedov?
With his undefeated record still intact, Nurmagomedov remains one of the most dominant forces in the lightweight division. However, he knows there’s still work to be done. He’s determined to correct his mistakes, return at full strength, and put on an even better performance in his next fight.
For now, he’s taking time to recover and reflect—but when he steps into the cage again, he promises fans will see the best version of himself yet.
“I know what I need to fix,” he said. “Next time, I’ll be at 100 percent. And when that happens, no one will be able to stop me.”
One thing is clear: whether it’s Hughes again or a new challenger, Usman Nurmagomedov is ready to prove why he’s still the undefeated king of the lightweight division.
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