Paul Hughes Takes Judges to Task
Paul Hughes posted a video on his Instagram page addressing the defeat to Usman Nurmagomedov (h/t MMAFighting).
Paul Hughes is all class. An amazing representative for Irish MMA 🇮🇪☘️ pic.twitter.com/wgsWhHZsTj
— Liam Picks Fights (@LiamPicksFights) January 26, 2025
“Obviously, as always, I’m going to have to watch it back to get a good assessment and a clear-minded assessment, but as we know, we all thought I won that one,” Hughes said. “I think the judges’ scorecards were pretty ridiculous, but as I say, I’ll watch it back with a clear mind. I’m just judging from the energy of the arena and everyone surrounding the cage. I thought it was mine.
“I’m not going to make excuses though. I should’ve pushed harder. I should’ve pushed harder and I will the next time. I know we’ll fight again.”
Nurmagomedov has dismissed the idea of having an immediate rematch with Hughes, as he believes the Irishman needs two to four more fights given how quickly he received a title shot. Time will tell if the PFL brass feels the same way.
Hughes’ loss to Nurmagomedov was just the second defeat of his pro MMA career. It was his first loss under the PFL umbrella. BJPenn.com will keep you up to speed on what’s next for both Hughes and Nurmagomedov. For now, the two will want to rest after going to war for five rounds.
