January 12, 2025 3:30 pm ET
Usman Nurmagomedov doesn’t deem Paul Hughes is a viable menace to his Bellator gentle-weight title.
With Nurmagomedov (18-0) short on contemporary contenders, then again, he accepts Hughes (13-1) because the challenger to his throne when they meet in the foremost match of PFL’s Street to Dubai card Jan. 25. But with correct two victories in the promotion and superb one principal result over A.J. McKee in October, the champ doesn’t genuinely stare Hughes as mighty.
“It modified into no longer a loopy fight (with McKee),” Nurmagomedov urged MMA Junkie. “For my conception, this fight is no longer a contender fight. Within the event you produce a contender fight, produce it five rounds. These guys produce it three rounds and they give him a title shot. But perchance this fight is good for media, and that’s why they give me Paul, who has superb two fights in Bellator. But I don’t care. Give me some title, a date, and I might be there and I might be ready.”
There is some stage of stress going into the matchup. Nurmagomedov’s coach and cousin Khabib threw fuel on the promotional fireplace by taking photography on the stage of Irish MMA when when compared with Dagestan, and these comments get no longer sat well with Hughes, who has made claims of steroid utilize toward the opposing workforce.
Nurmagomedov, 26, is of the same opinion with Khabib that his subject of the world has the superior skill, but he’s no longer letting Hughes’ outrage subject him. He’s no longer too prolonged ago hung out spherical Hughes, 27, and vouches for him as a solid particular person while dismissing any trash talk as pre-fight hype.
“As a particular person, he’s no longer a corrupt man,” Nurmagomedov stated. “We get been literally joking spherical. I even urged the promoters, ‘Howdy, I stare this man too time and again – on each day foundation. Right here is no longer splendid for me on memoir of I even get to atomize his face. How will I atomize his face when I stare him on each day foundation and we smile to every assorted?’ But Paul is no longer a corrupt man. If of us deem Paul Hughes is a bullsh*t man, he’s no longer. He is a expert man. As a man, he’s no longer a corrupt man.
“In my ogle, he is promoting this fight. That’s it. He gained’t produce his title on me. He knows here is a technique to switch his existence in a expert contrivance. But sorry, Paul. All individuals will take into accout him superb for losing a fight vs. Usman Nurmagomedov. That’s it.”
Nurmagomedov, who has never tasted defeat in his profession, is raring to log some other title protection on his resume and demonstrate why he is a superior skill in the game. In his mind, Hughes will get nothing to give in the cage.
“He stated when he punches me, one thing will change – but who can form that?” Nurmagomedov stated. “Anyone has punched me? Never. No. No person can touch me. … Most ceaselessly, I’m genuinely pondering admire, ‘How is also beat me? How?’ Even inserting, I’m severely better than him in inserting. I don’t know about his opinion on this fight, but I might prepare my plans and form my job. I don’t care what he’ll form.”
For added on the cardboard, talk over with MMA Junkie’s match hub for Bellator Champions Series: Street to Dubai.
Make sure to discuss over with the MMA Junkie Instagram web page and YouTube channel to talk about this and extra advise material with fans of mixed martial arts.
