Paul Hughes has recently hinted at a potential date for his much-anticipated rematch against Usman Nurmagomedov. This comes on the same day Hughes publicly referred to his rival as a “duck.”
The Irish lightweight contender provided Usman Nurmagomedov with the toughest challenge of his career back in January during what turned out to be the final Bellator fight. Since the PFL acquired Bellator, there has been a strong demand from fans and media for a rematch. However, it seemed Nurmagomedov might be looking towards other opponents.
Hughes himself has returned to action since their first encounter, securing a swift knockout victory over Bruno Miranda in the main event of PFL Belfast. Now, months after their initial bout, it appears Hughes may have a specific timeframe in mind for the rematch.
Hughes Hints at New Date and Uses `Duck` Tactic
During the PFL`s recent event debut in Belgium, Paul Hughes was shown cageside. Mimicking the style of heavyweight Tom Aspinall, Hughes displayed a toy duck, seemingly as a way to taunt Usman Nurmagomedov.
Following this appearance, Hughes shared a video on his Instagram page with the simple caption “October.” The video included highlights from his defeat to Nurmagomedov and his subsequent win over Miranda, suggesting a potential October date for their second fight. Fellow fighter Caolan Loughran also commented on the post echoing the “October” message. While many commenters expressed excitement, some joked that Hughes was heavily promoting the narrative to secure the rematch.
PFL`s Potential Contender Conflict
A complication arises from PFL`s recent actions concerning Nurmagomedov`s title picture. Last month, Archie Colgan defeated Mansour Barnaoui in what was presented as a number one contender fight in Wichita. Colgan has since been advertised as the next likely challenger for Nurmagomedov`s world title.
The prevailing assumption is that Gadzhi Rabadanov, a teammate of Nurmagomedov, is expected to win the PFL Lightweight World Tournament this year. If successful, this would typically set him up for a title fight. However, teammates rarely fight each other for championships, which makes Colgan necessary as an alternative top contender.
It appears the promotion may favor Colgan for the next title shot. Yet, Paul Hughes is a significant fan favorite and one of their biggest draws in terms of ticket sales and support. This creates a potentially difficult situation for PFL when deciding on the booking for Nurmagomedov`s next title defense, balancing their announced contender with the highly-demanded rematch.
