PFL Champions Series 3
| PFL Champions Series 3: Nurmagomedov vs. Hughes 2 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
The poster for PFL Champions Series 3: Nurmagomedov vs. Hughes 2 | ||||
| Promotion | Professional Fighters League | |||
| Date | October 3, 2025 | |||
| Venue | Coca-Cola Arena | |||
| City | Dubai, United Arab Emirates | |||
| Event chronology | ||||
| ||||
PFL Champions Series 3: Nurmagomedov vs. Hughes 2 was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Professional Fighters League that took place on October 3, 2025, at Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.[1][2][3]
Background
The event marked the promotion's second visit to Dubai and first since PFL Champions Series 1 in January 2025.[4]
A PFL Lightweight World Championship rematch between a current Bellator Lightweight Champion Usman Nurmagomedov and former Cage Warriors Featherweight Champion Paul Hughes headlined the event.[5] The pairing previously met at PFL Champions Series 1 in January 2025, which Nurmagomedov defended the title by majority decision.[6]
The co-main event took place a PFL Light Heavyweight World Championship bout between a current Bellator Light Heavyweight Champion (also The Ultimate Fighter: Team Edgar vs. Team Penn light heavyweight winner) Corey Anderson and 2024 PFL Light Heavyweight Tournament winner Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov.[7] The pairing previously met in the Bellator Light Heavyweight Grand Prix at Bellator 257 in April 2021, which Anderson advanced to semifinal by technical knockout in round three.[8]
Artem Lobov and Zubaira Tukhugov were scheduled to meet at this event.[9] The pairing was initially scheduled for UFC Fight Night: Volkan vs. Smith in October 2018, but Tukhugov was removed from the bout due his role in the UFC 229 post-fight melee.[10] However on September 30, the promotion announced that the bout was scrapped due to Lobov's suffered an injury in training.[11]
Results
| Main card (ESPN App) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight class | Method | Round | Time | Notes | |||
| Lightweight | Usman Nurmagomedov | def. | Paul Hughes | Decision (unanimous) (50–45, 49–46, 48–47) | 5 | 5:00 | [a] |
| Light Heavyweight | Corey Anderson | def. | Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov | Decision (unanimous) (49–45, 49–45, 48–47) | 5 | 5:00 | [b] |
| Bantamweight | Sergio Pettis | def. | Magomed Magomedov | KO (spinning back elbow and punch) | 2 | 4:31 | |
| Lightweight | Archie Colgan | def. | Jay-Jay Wilson | Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 29–28) | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Catchweight (140 lb) | Jack Cartwright | def. | Caolán Loughran | Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Preliminary card (ESPN App) | |||||||
| Heavyweight | Pouya Rahmani | def. | Slim Trabelsi | TKO (punches) | 1 | 2:47 | |
| Welterweight | Florim Zendeli | def. | Omar El Dafrawy | Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Lightweight | Mirafzal Akhtamov | def. | Luann Sardinha | Decision (split) (29–28, 28–29, 29–28) | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Lightweight | Takeshi Izumi | def. | Vinicius Sacchelli Cenci | Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 29–28, 29–28) | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Lightweight | Makkasharip Zaynukov | def. | John Mitchell | Decision (unanimous) (30–26, 29–28, 29–28) | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Middleweight | Jarrah Al-Silawi | def. | Gregory Babene | Decision (split) (28–29, 29–28, 30–27) | 3 | 5:00 | |
- ^ For the inaugural PFL Lightweight World Championship.
- ^ For the inaugural PFL Light Heavyweight World Championship.
See also
References
- ^ "Two World Title Fights Headline PFL's Return to Dubai on Oct. 3". Professional Fighters League. 2025-08-13. Retrieved 2025-08-13.
- ^ Martin, Damon (2025-08-13). "Usman Nurmagomedov vs. Paul Hughes 2, additional fights announced for PFL Dubai in October". MMA Fighting. Retrieved 2025-08-13.
- ^ Guillen, Adam (2025-08-13). "Nurmagomedov vs. Hughes 2 leads PFL championship doubleheader in Dubai on Oct. 3, Artem Lobov returns". MMAmania.com. Retrieved 2025-08-13.
- ^ Wheaton, Timothy (2025-08-13). "Dubai to Host PFL Champions Series on October 3 Featuring Two World Title Rematches – Usman Nurmagomedov vs. Paul Hughes 2". MMA News | UFC News Since 2002. Retrieved 2025-08-13.
- ^ King, Nolan. "Usman Nurmagomedov vs. Paul Hughes 2 booked for PFL Dubai". MMA Junkie. Retrieved 2025-08-13.
- ^ Anderson, Jay (2025-01-25). "Usman Nurmagomedov Squeaks Past Paul Hughes In PFL Road to Dubai Thriller". Cageside Press. Retrieved 2025-08-13.
- ^ Gonzalez, Gabriel (2025-08-13). "PFL Announces Usman vs Hughes 2, Anderson vs Yagshimuradov". Cageside Press. Retrieved 2025-08-13.
- ^ Anderson, Jay (2021-04-16). "Bellator 257 Results: Corey Anderson Earns Grand Prix Semifinal Berth with TKO of Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov". Cageside Press. Retrieved 2025-08-13.
- ^ Martin, Damon (2025-08-04). "Artem Lobov expected to return to MMA against Zubaira Tukhogov at planned PFL event". MMA Fighting. Retrieved 2025-09-30.
- ^ Staff. "Report: Zubaira Tukhugov speaks out after slapping Conor McGregor 'as promised'". MMA Junkie. Retrieved 2025-09-30.
- ^ Martin, Damon (2025-09-30). "Artem Lobov vs. Zubaira Tukhugov scrapped from PFL card in Dubai at last minute". MMA Fighting. Retrieved 2025-09-30.
- ^ "PFL "Road to Dubai" Champions Series 3: Nurmagomedov vs. Hughes 2". Professional Fighters League. Retrieved 2025-10-01.