Usman Nurmagomedov and Paul Hughes share classy moment backstage after epic war at PFL Dubai 

Usman Nurmagomedov was pushed to the brink by Paul Hughes when the pair clashed in the main event of PFL Dubai on Jan. 25. The reputation of the Nurmagomedov family in MMA has left those donning the famous surname with expectations of total domination.

The Bellator MMA lightweight champion oozed with confidence ahead of the bout, asserting that beating the Irishman was not enough for him. In his mind, he needed a stoppage victory to be satisfied.

The pair shared some tense exchanges before their clash, with Nurmagomedov being somewhat dismissive of Hughes' pedigree as a fighter. But following their back-and-forth war which saw the Dagestani fighter secure a majority decision victory, the pair shared a touching moment backstage.

'Big News' was heard saying:

"Great sport, bro. Great fight, great atmosphere. Very special."

The lightweight champion responded with the following:

"I hope next time we will fight [on the] same event but not [against] each other... Brother, all the best."

Check out Usman Nurmagomedov and Paul Hughes' backstage exchange below:

Hughes gained the respect of the collective MMA community for his strong performance against a formidable opponent like Nurmagomedov, who kept his undefeated record intact by the narrowest of margins.

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Usman Nurmagomedov not keen on immediate rematch against Paul Hughes

Usman Nurmagomedov isn't interested in an immediate rematch against Paul Hughes despite fans and pundits both calling for a second fight between the pair. The lightweight champion pointed to the Irishman's relative newness in the promotion as his main reason.

Whilst Hughes more than proved himself to be a worthy title contender, Nurmagomedov believes that he would need to win at least one more fight before challenging for a title again.

The 26-year-old was interviewed by talkSPORT MMA following his win at PFL Dubai, where he discussed a potential immediate rematch with 'Big News', saying:

"I don't like the rematch. I need some new names and for Paul, I wish the best for him but he needs to get some fights, a couple [of fights]. He only has two fights in the division and they gave him a gift. Now, the second time, he has to deserve [the title shot]. Three, four, five winning streak and then we will see."

Catch Usman Nurmagomedov's comments below (4:10):