While Usman
Nurmagomedov gives credit to Paul Hughes
for pushing him in the
Road to Dubai headliner, he isn’t interested in giving the
Irishman an immediate rematch.
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Nurmagomedov edged Hughes via majority decision in a thrilling
lightweight title bout at the Cola-Cola Arena in Dubai, United Arab
Emirates, on Saturday. Though it was arguably the toughest test of
his career to date, the unbeaten Dagestani would like to see Hughes
earn his way back to a rematch.
“No, he have to earn with a couple two, three, four fights in
[PFL],” Nurmagomedov said in a backstage interview after the event
(transcription via MMAjunkie.com). “He had only two fights and
they gave him title shot. But Paul Hughes, this is all my respect
to this guy. I think if he even go to the tournament for $1
million, he 100 percent [has a] chance to take this belt. Then, we
can talk rematches.”
Nurmagomedov appreciated the test that Hughes provided, but he
admits that he didn’t expect the fight to be as difficult as it
was.
“To be honest, it was great fight for me. I go to the depths of the
ocean. I know what I can do for the next time. I little
underestimated this guy. That was a mistake, but whatever … Of
course, I’m human like everyone, every sportsman. I have some
weaknesses. I have some strong ways, like strong sides. I’m not
someone who cannot never lose. But in my mind, I’m never going to
lose. Inshallah.
“Five rounds, I was thinking only how to finish him. Every round, I
was following the goal to go finish him. I think this is my biggest
mistake. For Allah, Alhamdulillah, I think it was a good fight, for
the fans, first of all, and for me, too.”
Nurmagomedov revealed that he wasn’t surrounded by the usual faces
for his most recent camp, which could have affected his
preparation.
“I was without my team,” Nurmagomedov said. “I prepared for my
fight without my team, without Khabib, without Islam, without my
brother Umar, without Gadzhi. I was in the gym in Dagestan and I
was alone.”