PFL returns to Dubai on Oct. 3 with two title fights, including Usman Nurmagomedov vs. Paul Hughes rematch

Usman Nurmagomedov and Paul Hughes will return to the scene of their memorable first bout to do it again for the PFL lightweight title on Oct. 3, the promotion announced Wednesday. The highly anticipated rematch anchors the PFL’s Road to Dubai event, which features two PFL title fights plus the return of former UFC and BKFC fighter Artem Lobov.

Nurmagomedov and Hughes first met at a PFL Champions Series event in Dubai this past January, scrapping it out until the final horn in a title bout many hailed as a potential Fight of the Year contender. Nurmagomedov retained the PFL lightweight title with a majority decision in that one, but a rematch seemed inevitable.

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That return bout was slow to come, however, as PFL opted to match Hughes up against Bruno Miranda in May. Hughes won that bout easily, finishing Miranda off with a first-round knockout before calling for another crack at the unbeaten Nurmagomedov.

Now he’ll finally get his wish, as the two go back to the same arena where they had their first clash, this time with a stronger supporting cast rounding out the card.

That includes a PFL light heavyweight title bout featuring Corey Anderson taking on Dovlet Yagshimuradov in a rematch of their 2021 Bellator World Grand Prix quarterfinal fight. Anderson won that bout via TKO in the third round, then went on to capture the Bellator light heavyweight title in 2024.

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Yagshimuradov bounced back to win seven fights in a row en route to winning the light heavyweight final in the PFL 2024 Championships.

Also on this card, the former UFC fighter and BKFC boxer Lobov returns for his first MMA fight since a 2018 loss to Michael Johnson in the UFC. Lobov then fought four times in bare-knuckle boxing matches, including a 2019 win over Paulie Malignaggi.