One of the most thrilling MMA showdowns of 2025 unfolded not in the UFC, but in its rival promotion, the PFL. The spotlight shone brightly on Khabib Nurmagomedov’s cousin, Usman Nurmagomedov, as he faced off against Northern Ireland’s Paul Hughes in a closely contested Bellator 155lbs title fight this past January. Hughes proved himself as a legitimate lightweight contender, pushing Usman to his limits. Although Nurmagomedov emerged victorious, many fans felt the Irishman had done enough to deserve the win.

In the aftermath, calls for an immediate rematch echoed throughout the MMA community. However, it seems that fans will have to wait, as Paul Hughes has been scheduled to fight closer to home in his next outing. On his path back to a potential rematch, the 27-year-old will face Muay Thai specialist Bruno Miranda when the PFL heads to Belfast on May 10. However, former UFC fighter Darren Till claims that the promotion is making a major blunder with the decision to not book the rematch immediately.

After all, the first bout turned out to be one of the best fights to be contested outside the UFC. “PFL not booking Usman Vs Paul Hughes again is a tragedy & a big BIG fumble. In my opinion! Biggggggg Fumble,” Darren Till wrote on X.

However, things are not as simple as they look. Following his fight against Paul Hughes in PFL: Road to Dubai, Usman Nurmagomedov revealed that he was dealing with strep throat before his title defense against the Irishman. In a recent interview with MMA Junkie, the Dagestani admitted: “50% of me was in the cage that night. But if I was 100% I know I can finish this guy… When I came to Dubai, I was sick two weeks before the fight [with strep throat]… [My] temperature went up and down, and I was cutting weight and I had this strep throat. A lot of things that didn’t let me get ready for this fight.”

Hence, the lightweight champion will be out for an extended time while Hughes will be back in action. Meanwhile, Till’s disappointment with the PFL in not setting up an immediate rematch between Hughes and Usman is understandable, given that they delivered in their initial fight. However, the 155-pound champ is not opposed to offering his Irish counterpart a rematch, but there’s one condition: Let’s see what he had to say.

Usman Nurmagomedov will give Paul Hughes a rematch if he wins one fight

When the talks about a rematch took shape, Usman Nurmagomedov claimed that Paul Hughes needed to win multiple fights to return to the title scene. Later, the Bellator lightweight champion changed his tune, dismissing the need for the Irishman to make the climb again. However, he did mention that the Irishman needed to win at least one fight to gain credibility as a legitimate title contender.

“We can do it again. Why not? If he will win one fight, we can do it again. One. Just win one fight and call my name,” Usman Nurmagomedov told MMA Junkie. “When he called my name the first time, I accepted. Next time I will accept too. I don’t care. Anyone who deserves a title shot, I will [be] ready, just let me know [the] location, time, and date.”

Paul Hughes may need one win, but he knows the dangers that his upcoming opponent, Burno Miranda, poses. “Bruno is a bad dude. A lot of knockout victories and his last three fights have been against former world champions,” he told talkSPORT ahead of his May 10 return. Well, what do you think? Do you believe Paul Hughes deserved to get an immediate rematch? Let us know in the comments down below.