Outside Source
While Usman Nurmagomedov gives credit to Paul Hughes for pushing him in the Road to Dubai headliner, he isn’t interested in giving the Irishman an immediate rematch.
Nurmagomedov edged Hughes via majority decision in a thrilling lightweight title bout at the Cola-Cola Arena in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on Saturday. Though it was arguably the toughest test of his career to date, the unbeaten Dagestani would like to see Hughes earn his way back to a rematch.
“No, he have to earn with a couple two, three, four fights in [PFL],” Nurmagomedov said in a backstage interview after the event (transcription via MMAjunkie.com). “He had only two fights and they gave him title shot. But Paul Hughes, this is all my respect to this guy. I think if he even go to the tournament for $1 million, he 100 percent [has a] chance to take this belt. Then, we can talk rematches.”
Nurmagomedov appreciated the test that Hughes provided, but he admits that he didn’t expect the fight to be as difficult as it was.
“To be honest, it was great fight for me. I go to the depths of the ocean. I know what I can do for the next time. I little underestimated this guy. That was a mistake, but whatever … Of course, I’m human like everyone, every sportsman. I have some weaknesses. I have some strong ways, like strong sides. I’m not someone who cannot never lose. But in my mind, I’m never going to lose. Inshallah.
“Five rounds, I was thinking only how to finish him. Every round, I was following the goal to go finish him. I think this is my biggest mistake. For Allah, Alhamdulillah, I think it was a good fight, for the fans, first of all, and for me, too.”
Nurmagomedov revealed that he wasn’t surrounded by the usual faces for his most recent camp, which could have affected his preparation.
“I was without my team,” Nurmagomedov said. “I prepared for my fight without my team, without Khabib, without Islam, without my brother Umar, without Gadzhi. I was in the gym in Dagestan and I was alone.”
This article first appeared at Recent News on Sherdog.com
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