The PFL kicked off 2025 by delivering an absolute banger. Russia’s Usman Nurmagomedov faced Ireland’s Paul Hughes at the PFL Championship 1 event. And it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that MMA fans got a deja vu moment of Conor McGregor vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 229. In their first clash, Usman edged out a razor-thin decision. And now, nine months later, another chapter in their rivalry is set to unfold. 

On October 3, Usman and Paul are set to clash in a rematch at PFL Championship 2, with the lightweight title on the line. This high-profile fight will determine whether a potential trilogy is on the horizon or not. So, both camps have been putting in their all in preparation. However, before the anticipated showdown takes place, Khabib Nurmagomedov has sent his cousin a bold reminder, which raised the stakes even higher.  

Khabib Nurmagomedov sends a message to Usman before the PFL rematch  

‘The Eagle’ took to his Instagram story to upload Usman’s photo and wrote a 4-word message, “Usman Nurmagomedov 13 days to go.” Khabib wanted to remind his cousin that he should be locked in and ready before the fight against Paul Hughes. But this isn’t the first time the UFC’s undefeated legend has sent a message to his teammate.

After Usman Nurmagomedov defeated the Irish fighter in his last fight to defend the lightweight belt, Khabib posted a heartfelt note on Instagram. He wrote, “Congratulations Brother @usman_nurmagomedov on another successful title defense. You’ve done a great job in the big arena over the past couple of years, and of course, a great job in your personal life.” With it came a promise that he’d grow stronger after each fight.

Now, as the Russian prepares to face his previous opponent once again, there’s nothing but positivity in his camp. However, it’s not only Nurmagomedov who is sharpening his weapons. Paul Hughes is also actively developing his skills to steal the rematch with his team of experts. With PFL’s lightweight title on the line, ‘The Big News’ is already dreaming of making headlines by winning the fight, leaving no stone unturned this time. 

Paul Hughes reveals correcting several mistakes before the rematch   

At the PFL Championship 1 event, Paul Hughes emerged as the biggest threat to Usman Nurmagomedov’s 19-0 undefeated record. However, the Irishman couldn’t become the first man to shatter it. Now, with the rematch approaching, Hughes believes he made several mistakes in their last fight, which ultimately cost him the decision.

According to a BBC article, Hughes revealed that he had a bad camp and has since watched the last fight 10 times to pinpoint his errors. He said, “Everything is different this time. I can’t imagine how I can lose this fight. In the first fight, I had a bad camp. This is a different Usman from January, so he will have to be ready. I know he will be different too. I watched this fight back 10 times. I see a lot of my mistakes, a lot of things I must change, and we have worked on them. This fight, I will be better.”

Meanwhile, ‘The Big News’ actually took a fight against Bruno Miranda at PFL Europe 1 and finished him decisively in the first round. On the contrary, Usman hasn’t had a single fight since defending the lightweight belt. In that sense, Hughes may seem to have the mental edge before stepping into the cage in Dubai.

With that being said, do you think Paul Hughes will end up winning the rematch, or will Khabib Nurmagomedov’s protégé carry on his undefeated legacy once again? Let us know in the comments section below.