At PFL Champions Series 3, Usman Nurmagomedov earned a unanimous decision over Paul Hughes to claim the PFL lightweight world title, but many fans strongly disagreed with how lopsided the judges’ scorecards appeared.
The fight went the full five rounds, featuring Nurmagomedov’s steady mix of low kicks, body work, and takedown control. Hughes showed resilience, particularly in later rounds, escaping from grappling attempts and pressing forward with combinations. In the final round, Hughes launched a strong offensive, though Nurmagomedov’s defense and a late takedown helped seal the decision.
The judges ruled with scores of 50-45, 49-46, and 48-47, all in Nurmagomedov’s favor.However, social media erupted, claiming the fight was much tighter than those cards suggested. Many argued rounds had been “swung” too heavily and judged inaccurately. > “Those scorecards are ATROCIOUS … the fight was MUCH closer than that.”
This was their second meeting. Their first fight in January ended under contentious circumstances with Nurmagomedov retaining a title via majority decision — a result that also sparked debate. With this victory, Nurmagomedov improves to 20–0 (1 no contest). Meanwhile, Hughes now has two losses — both at the hands of Nurmagomedov — but gained respect for forcing a competitive fight.