Usman Nurmagomedov and Paul Hughes' clash at PFL Dubai has seen a resurgence of the rivalry between Dagestan and Ireland. The tensions between the two countries infamously began with Khabib Nurmagomedov, cousin of Usman, and Conor McGregor.
The feud between 'The Eagle' and McGregor was filled with hatred, and their clash at UFC 229 saw blood spilled not only in the octagon but in the stands too. Irish and Russian fans clashed with one another as fights broke out across the arena in one of the most chaotic days in modern MMA history.
However, a similar situation unfolded following the recently held ceremonial weigh-ins for Nurmagomedov vs. Hughes, which takes place on Jan. 25 in Dubai. After the main-event pairing shared their final face-off ahead of fight night, fans were captured getting into a wild brawl.
Footage of the incident was uploaded to X by @parrypunch, who wrote this:
Get the latest updates on One Championship Rankings at Sportskeeda and more
"DEVELOPING: A brawl between Dagestani and Irish fans kicked off after the ceremonial weigh-ins for Usman Nurmagomedov vs. Paul Hughes."
Check out the footage below:
Comments made by Khabib Nurmagomedov in the build-up to his cousin's clash against Hughes further stoked the flames of the Dagestan-Ireland rivalry. 'The Eagle' stated that 'The Emerald Isle' does not produce quality fighters in comparison to Dagestan.
Usman Nurmagomedov says just beating Paul Hughes isn't good enough, he needs a stoppage win
Usman Nurmagomedov is fully focused ahead of his clash with Paul Hughes in Dubai on Jan. 25.
The Irishman believes his opponent is overlooking him, and 'Big News' hopes to cause a massive upset by defeating Nurmagomedov. The Bellator MMA lightweight champion is also eager to make a statement against Hughes, and the 26-year-old stated that beating his opponent will not be enough.
The Dagestani fighter made it clear that he believes he is levels above Hughes in terms of skill, and in order to prove that, he needs to finish the 27-year-old.
Nurmagomedov spoke to Dan Hardy following the ceremonial weigh-ins, where he said this:
"I'm ready. I will finish this guy tomorrow, and the public is not going to be able to help him. This is our territory, and we're gonna maul this guy all five rounds, or I'm going to finish this guy... For me, it's not enough to just beat him. I will [search] for the finish, because this guy is not [on] my level."
Check out Usman Nurmagomedov's comments below (4:30):