The Professional Fighters League takes center stage this weekend in mixed martial arts. The best pound-for-pound fighter in the PFL and one of the top fighters in the world, Usman Nurmagomedov, climbs into the PFL SmartCage on Saturday, January 25, to defend his Bellator lightweight title against Paul Hughes in the main event of the PFL Road to Dubai Champions Series.
Nurmagomedov (18-0) vs. Hughes (17-1) is being billed as Dagestan vs. Ireland, aiming to capitalize on the rivalry that Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov, Usman’s cousin, started between the two countries.
The Nurmagomedov-Hughes fight is especially interesting and important because the two lightweights are good enough to perform—and perhaps contend—in the UFC. That’s not the case for the main event of every PFL show.
Here is a look at the viewing info and the entire card:
Date: Saturday, January 25
Time: 11 a.m. ET
Location: Coca-Cola Arena
TV/Stream: MAX
PFL Road to Dubai Champions Series Full Card
- Bellator Lightweight Title Bout – Usman Nurmagomedov vs. Paul Hughes
- Heavyweight Bout – Vadim Nemkov vs. Tim Johnson
- Featherweight Bout – Akhmed Magomedov vs. Nathan Kelly
- Featherweight Bout – Ibragim Ibragimov vs. Kenny Mokhonoana
- Bantamweight Bout – Renat Khavalov vs. Cleiver Fernandes
- Middleweight Bout – Tarek Suleiman vs. Ahmed Samy
- Lightweight Bout – Mirafzal Akhtamov vs. Mike Thompson
- Flyweight Bout – Hadi Omar Al Hussaini vs. Ruel Panales
- Lightweight Bout – John Mitchell vs. Souhil Tairi
- Middleweight Bout – Mostafa Nada vs. Haider Khan
- Amateur Lightweight Bout – Saeed Alhosani vs. Talal Alqallaf
This outstanding hype video will provide a quick update about everything that is on the line ahead of this fight.
In the co-main event, former Bellator light heavyweight champion Vadim Nemkov will have his second heavyweight bout in the PFL SmartCage. He’ll face veteran Tim Johnson in a fight most expect Nemkov to win.
Nemkov is on a shortlist of candidates to welcome Francis Ngannou back to mixed martial arts once the PFL Superfights heavyweight champion returns to the sport.
Ngannou is expected to have another high-profile boxing match in his next combat sports outing, but he is also scheduled to fight once in MMA before the end of 2025.
If Nemkov defeats Johnson and perhaps wins one more fight, he’ll have a good chance to be the man standing across from Ngannou. If Nemkov comes through the fight with Johnson victorious and unscathed, there is also a chance he could find himself in the upcoming PFL World Tournament.
In addition to the fight card, expect to see more information about the promotion’s plans for 2025. We’ve learned they are ditching the season format for a tournament, which will be separate from their traditional, lineal-style championship belts.
We also know the tournament winners will come from eight divisions and will earn $500,000 apiece, as opposed to the $1 million awarded to the winners of the season format.
Stay tuned for more information, perhaps to be revealed in Dubai.
