MMA: Paul Hughes vs Usman Nurmagomedov rematch could still happen next as PFL backtracks

Paul Hughes’ rematch with Usman Nurmagomedov could still happen next, according to PFL spokesperson Jonathan Coachman.

It had been announced by the PFL’s X account that the winner of Mansour Barnaoui v Archie Colgan on 20 June would fight Nurmagomedov.

But Coachman appeared to backtrack on that plan, insisting the PFL were having “issues” with their X account and it did not speak for the MMA promotions’ plans.

“Nothing been set with that at all,” he said after a PFL event on Thursday.

“I don’t think that’s been confirmed yet and we actually talked a little bit today so you might be getting ahead of yourself a little bit.

“As soon as we can we will, and we’re going to listen to the fans.

“We’re not here to drag stuff out and say, ‘Paul, you’ve got to fight two other guys to get back to him’. That’s not what we’re all about.

“But we also have to make the right fights, we have to bring in the right fighters at the right price.”

Derry fighter Hughes reacted angrily to the PFL’s post on X, calling it “rage bait” and shared messages between him and Nurmagomedov where the Russian insisted he needed to win another bout before he would agree to a rematch.

Hughes was narrowly beaten by Nurmagomedov in January on points, but bounced back with a 42-second knockout of Bruno Miranda in Belfast in May.

The first encounter with Nurmagomedov was for his Bellator lightweight title, but that belt is now defunct.

The PFL suggested Nurmagomedov was now their lightweight world champion and that he would defend their title in his next bout.