![Nina-Marie Daniele (left) expressed honest desire after witnessing Usman Nurmagomedov (middle) vs Paul Hughes (right). [Image courtesy: @ninamariedaniele on Instagram, Getty Images]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/01/5d9a5-17378945272513-1920.jpg)
![Nina-Marie Daniele (left) expressed honest desire after witnessing Usman Nurmagomedov (middle) vs Paul Hughes (right). [Image courtesy: @ninamariedaniele on Instagram, Getty Images]](data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg%20xmlns='http%3A//www.w3.org/2000/svg'%20xmlns%3Axlink='http%3A//www.w3.org/1999/xlink'%20viewBox='0%200%2010%205.625'%3E%3Cfilter%20id='b'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20color-interpolation-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGaussianBlur%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20stdDeviation='.5'%3E%3C/feGaussianBlur%3E%3CfeComponentTransfer%3E%3CfeFuncA%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20type='discrete'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20tableValues='1%201'%3E%3C/feFuncA%3E%3C/feComponentTransfer%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20filter='url(%23b)'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
MMA interviewer Nina-Marie Daniele has expressed a desire after witnessing Usman Nurmagomedov vs Paul Hughes.
In a five-round war in the main event at PFL Dubai, the two combatants got inside the smart cage for an incredible fight. Nurmagomedov retained his Bellator lightweight title and stayed undefeated, beating Hughes with a majority decision.
Despite the victory, several fans and pundits thought the Irish lightweight had done enough and should have won. Post-fight, and with the decision not going in Hughes's favor, he wanted a “rematch in Belfast” and also revealed that he “really thought he won that one.”
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Meanwhile, ESPN MMA on Instagram posted a video of the bout and a still of Nurmagomedov with his Bellator gold strap. The post was captioned:
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"WHAT A BATTLE 👏 USMAN NURMAGOMEDOV RETAINS THE BELLATOR LIGHTWEIGHT TITLE 👑 #RoadtoDubai (via @pflmma)"
Check out the original post featuring Umar Nurmagomedov:
The post caught the attention of Daniele, who also voted for a “rematch” between the Irishman and the Dagestani. She commented:
"We need a REMATCH! What a war!!!"
Usman Nurmagomedov does not want an immediate rematch
After defeating Paul Hughes and retaining his Bellator lightweight title Saturday, Usman Nurmagomedov expressed appreciation for his opponent and admitted that he had underestimated the Irishman.
However, Nurmagomedov does not want an immediate rematch as he revealed in an interview post-fight, stating that Hughes has to win a couple of fights before getting another title shot:
"For the rematch, No! He has to win like couple, two, four fights in Bellator. Because he have only two fights and they give him title shot. But Paul Hughes, all my respect to this guy. I think even if you go to the tournament for 1 million, he have, hundred percent, like a chance to take this belt. Then we can talk rematches."
Check out Nurmagomedov's comments below (1:12):
