The MMA fanbase was sent into a frenzy on Friday night, with many followers of the sport taking issue with the scorecards from Paul Hughes’s rematch with Usman Nurmagomedov.
For the second time in 10 months, Nurmagomedov won a decision against Hughes to stay unbeaten and retain the PFL lightweight title in Dubai, and while the first fight was competitive, the rematch was even more-closely contested.
Yet Nurmagomedov, who was awarded a majority decision in the first fight in January, won 50-45, 49-46, 48-47 on Friday (3 October) – with many fans and journalists raging at the first two scorecards.
The consensus was that the Russian, 27, and Northern Irishman, 28, had contested a close-enough fight for a 48-47 scorecard in either man’s favour. But the width of the first two cards sparked major controversy.
“50-45 is an abomination,” wrote Canadian journalist Aaron Bronsteter, while his countryman and colleague Ariel Helwani tweeted: “That was a super close and great fight. I accept 3-2 either way. The judge who had it 50-45 should never be allowed to judge MMA again […] 50-45 (and 49-46) is absolutely insane. WOW.”
One Irish journalist, Andy Stevenson, tweeted: “Great fight. Two great fighters. 50-45 is corruption.” Meanwhile, his compatriot and fellow journalist Peter Carroll wrote: “50-45, 49-46 are criminal cards […] And by the way, I don’t think this is a robbery. I had it for Paul by a round but I knew it was close. 50-45 ffs [for f***’s sake].”
British journalist Simon Head added on X (formerly Twitter): “I’d take 48-47 either way in that fight. 49-46 is a HUGE stretch. But 50-45? That’s disgraceful. That sort of scoring is damaging to credibility.”
The Independent scored the bout 48-47 in Nurmagomedov’s favour, yet a 48-47 win for Hughes was conceivable after a close fight, in which only the first round was clear – and belonged, surely, to Nurmagomedov.
Like the pair’s first fight, the rematch was full of controversy even before the result was announced; in January, Nurmagomedov was docked a point for repeated low blows, while a clash of heads also marred the action, and the rematch also saw numerous low blows from the Russian as well as a head clash.
This time, the head clash affected Nurmagomedov more than Hughes, but it took place with one minute left in the final round. One round prior, Hughes was left lying flat on his stomach from a low blow, although he did appear to dip into two of the fight’s illegal strikes.
After the result was read out, Nurmagomedov said: “I felt I won every round, but it was a very tough fight. I didn’t underestimate you this time; I think maybe you underestimated me? Thank you so much for the fight, Paul.”
Hughes did not address the scoring and in fact looked dismayed well before the scorecards were revealed. “I want to thank everybody so much for travelling all the way to Dubai,” he said to his present compatriots.
“They were telling me I wasn’t getting a post-fight interview, but I had to come over here to thank you. I will be back, trust me, I will be back. And thank you Usman and his team as well – so much respect.”
