Paul Hughes thinks he got a raw deal against Usman Nurmagomedov at PFL Champions Series: Road to Dubai.
Coming in as a sizeable underdog to the undefeated Bellator lightweight champion, Hughes (13-2) pushed Nurmagomedov (19-0) to his limit over five rounds of thrilling action in a majority decision defeat. He had significant momentum at multiple points in the fight, and raised his hands when the final bell sounded after 25 minutes.
Unfortunately for Hughes, however, his confidence didn’t match the scorecards of the three cageside judges. Even with Nurmagomedov being deducted a point for low blows in Round 3, two judges had it 48-46 in his favor, while the other had it a 47-47 draw. Nurmagomedov left with the belt and his undefeated record in tact, while Hughes left with a broken heart.
