Paul Hughes hopes to get one more shot at PFL lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov.
Hughes (14-3) suffered two close **** le losses to Nurmagomedov, with their rematch at PFL Champions Series 2 sparking debate on the decision. He was scheduled to headline PFL Belfast against Jay Jay Wilson in April, but a knee injury, which required surgery, forced him out of the bout.
Nurmagomedov (22-0) is now a free agent after retaining his lightweight **** le with a first-round TKO of Archie Colgan at PFL New York this past Friday, making it a possibility that Hughes never gets his wish of a trilogy.
"First of all, Nurmagomedov, first-round knockout, I knew you'd win," Hughes said on his "X." "Different level than Colgan. In fact, different level than most lightweights in the world to be honest. Obviously, a lot of questions where his future lies. If it's UFC, I don't think anyone gives him many problems in the top 15 other than certain stylistic matches like (Ilia) Topuria, (Max) Holloway. Anyway, if he sticks around at PFL, obviously we have a lot of history there.
"I think the MMA world is in agreement that we're one each right now. Second fight, close. I took full responsibility for it at the time. I did not train for six weeks before that fight. I've just done back-to-back surgeries because of injuries. I believe 100 percent I have the beating of that man. I know that that trilogy can happen down the line. May sound absolutely deluded, I know a lot of people are going to think that."
#hughes #colgan #title
Hughes (14-3) suffered two close **** le losses to Nurmagomedov, with their rematch at PFL Champions Series 2 sparking debate on the decision. He was scheduled to headline PFL Belfast against Jay Jay Wilson in April, but a knee injury, which required surgery, forced him out of the bout.
Nurmagomedov (22-0) is now a free agent after retaining his lightweight **** le with a first-round TKO of Archie Colgan at PFL New York this past Friday, making it a possibility that Hughes never gets his wish of a trilogy.
"First of all, Nurmagomedov, first-round knockout, I knew you'd win," Hughes said on his "X." "Different level than Colgan. In fact, different level than most lightweights in the world to be honest. Obviously, a lot of questions where his future lies. If it's UFC, I don't think anyone gives him many problems in the top 15 other than certain stylistic matches like (Ilia) Topuria, (Max) Holloway. Anyway, if he sticks around at PFL, obviously we have a lot of history there.
"I think the MMA world is in agreement that we're one each right now. Second fight, close. I took full responsibility for it at the time. I did not train for six weeks before that fight. I've just done back-to-back surgeries because of injuries. I believe 100 percent I have the beating of that man. I know that that trilogy can happen down the line. May sound absolutely deluded, I know a lot of people are going to think that."
#hughes #colgan #title
3 months ago
