The Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai hosted an action-packed clash between Usman Nurmagomedov and Paul Hughes, who went to war for five thrilling rounds at PFL: Road to Dubai. However, beyond the battle between the Dagestani and the Irishman, several other fights managed to capture the attention of fans. Now that the results are in, the MMA world is buzzing with excitement, and we’re analyzing the biggest winners and losers of this marquee event.

The fate of Usman Nurmagomedov, Paul Hughes, Nathan Kelly, and John Mitchell has diverged from the rest. So, what happened during the clash? Let’s find out. Here’s the list of the biggest winners and losers from the fight.

Top Winners of PFL: Road to Dubai

1. Usman Nurmagomedov

The PFL returned to Dubai with Usman Nurmagomedov headlining the event, and their decision proved to be spot on. The main event of the night certainly delivered an incredible clash between the Dagestani and the Irishman. Ahead of the clash, there was a certain animosity between Nurmagomedov and Hughes, with many touting this bout as Dagestan vs. Ireland 2.0 (After Khabib and Conor’s clash in 2018). Interestingly. Nurmagomedov promised that he would finish the fight just like his cousin Khabib Nurmagomedov.

However, when the PFL cage doors closed, things began to fade around him as Paul Hughes gave the Dagestani the fight of his life. Hughes neutralized Nurmagomedov’s wrestling and dominance, delivering a highly competitive and evenly matched fight. Both fighters kept their pace throughout the fight with Hughes hitting Nurmagomedov with a low blow in the fourth round which forced the referee to intervene and stop the fight for a moment.

Regardless, in the end, Usman Nurmagomedov kept his zero extended his winning streak to 19 victories, and retained his belt. Next on the list is his own countryman, Vadim Nemkov.

2. Vadim Nemkov

In the co-main event, former Bellator heavyweight champion Vadim Nemkov traded hands against veteran and former UFC fighter Tim Johnson. A Russian facing an American meant that there would be some employment of grappling. That’s exactly what happened in the clash as Nemkov demonstrated his superior ground game and locked Johnson in a rear-naked choke to claim a swift and decisive victory over the former UFC fighter.

After the dominant first-round victory, the MMA community has been in awe of the Russian fighter and they are pushing for his clash against the current PFL heavyweight champion, Francis Ngannou. However, the real question on everyone’s mind now is: what needs to happen for us to see Vadim Nemkov face Francis Ngannou? That matchup feels inevitable but only time will provide us with updates and answers.

3. John Mitchell

Apart from John Mitchell, none of his countrymen were able to secure victories at the PFL Dubai event. The Irishman delivered an impressive performance in the lightweight battle against Souhil Tairi, showcasing striking and solid tip control. Mitchell’s quick hands and impressive footwork were a bit much for Tairi’s aggressive approach.

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Regardless, at the end of the day, Mitchell secured the victory by way of a unanimous decision. Now, let us move forward to the biggest losers of the cash.

Top losers of PFL: Road to Dubai

1. Paul Hughes

Paul Hughes is arguably the biggest loser of the clash, as he failed to capture the title from Usman Nurmagomedov. However, he achieved something that even Conor McGregor couldn’t—he made the Nurmagomedov clan appear human and vulnerable, showing that they can indeed be defeated. The Irishman came strong against Usman Nurmagomedov, who promised to finish him.

Taking the fight to the distance, Hughes was a bit certain of winning the match. As the referee announced the winner, Hughes was left heartbroken. As per the judges, the official scoring was (47-47, 48-46,48-46) in favor of Nurmagomedov. Well, Paul Hughes might get another chance to fight against Usman Nurmagomedov but for now, he will have to face the setback of defeat.

2. Nathan Kelly

Nathan Kelly entered the Arena with the intent to get the victory and there was a ͏si͏gnif͏ica͏nt b͏uzz around him. However, he failed to get a victory at the battle, de͏s͏pi͏t͏e la͏n͏ding a͏ pow͏e͏rfu͏͏l elbo͏w͏ t͏hat r͏ock͏͏ed ͏A͏khme͏d M͏agom͏e͏do͏͏͏v ͏and opened a c͏ut͏͏. Coached by Khabib Nurmagomedov, M͏agom͏e͏do͏͏͏v took Kelly to deep waters as he submitted him in the second round to clinch the victory.

͏As͏ ͏a fighter ͏representing SBG͏͏ Ir͏eland,͏͏ Kelly͏ has͏ cle͏ar͏ potenti͏al but͏ ͏͏mu͏st͏ addre͏ss͏͏͏ his d͏ef͏͏icienc͏ies͏͏ ͏o͏n the g͏r͏o͏u͏nd. At 27͏, ͏i͏t͏ mi͏ght be wort͏h conside͏r͏͏in͏͏g a͏͏ ͏move ͏t͏o ͏a dif͏ferent͏ ͏g͏y͏m to͏͏ s͏harpen his g͏͏r͏͏a͏ppling ͏an͏d gain͏ ͏valua͏ble experi͏en͏ce.

3. Souhil Tahiri

John Mitchell’s opponent Souhil Tairi might be in a dangerous position after his recent loss at PFL Dubai. With a career record of 7 victories and 6 defeats, Tahiri is riding a two-fight losing streak after the Dubai event. If this goes on then the fighter might lose his footing in the PFL.

The Algerian wanted a victory at the Dubai event but succumbed to Mitchell’s superior grappling in the second round. Regardless, his future is a bit uncertain for now.

What is your take on the PFL Dubai event? Did you agree with the judges’ scorecards at the end of the above-mentioned bouts? State your thoughts in the comments below.