PFL Road To Dubai: Champions Series Main Card Preview
Following a busy start to 2025 in which they moved to tie up some loose ends regarding their acquisition of the Bellator brand a year ago, as well as announcing their new format for their world tournament, the PFL are set to host their first event of the new year this weekend.
PFL Road to Dubai: Champions Series goes down at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai this Saturday and the card carries a very strong “Ireland vs. Dagestan” flavor to it.
Let’s take a look at the matchups on the main card.
PFL Road to Dubai Main Event: Usman Nurmagomedov vs. Paul Hughes
The opportunity of a lifetime awaits Paul Hughes (13-1) when he takes on bellator lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov (18-0) at the top of the card on Saturday evening during PFL Road to Dubai.
“Big News” will aim to follow in the footsteps of Merab Dvalishvili who ended Usman’s older brother Umar’s unbeaten record in the main event at UFC 311 last weekend.
Hughes has had an explosive introduction to life under the PFL/Bellator banner. The Derry native finished Bobby King in his promotional debut in Dublin last June before picking up a unanimous decision victory over former Bellator champion A.J. McKee at the Battle of the Giants pay-per-view event in Saudi Arabia in October.
The build-up to this event has been a tense one, with Usman’s cousin (and coach) Khabib Nurmagomedov sparking a war of words when he talked down the overall quality of Irish MMA fighters but come Saturday, the time for talking will run out.
Usman Nurmagomedov has looked sensational during his title run under the Bellator banner.
Nurmagomedov beat Patricky Pitbull at Bellator 288 back in 2022 to first claim he belt before going on to successfully defend it against Benson Henderson and Brent Primus the following year.
The Primus victory was overturned to a ‘no contest’ after Nurmagomedov failed a drug test, but after reaching a settlement with the California State Athletic Commission, he escaped with a six-month ban and was allowed to retain his title.
Nurmagomedov returned to action in September and looked impressive as he beat Alexander Shabily in an all-Russian five-round main event in San Diego.
With the Bellator brand effectively set to disappear after this event, it’s speculated that the winner of Saturday night’s headline fight will officially become the new PFL lightweight champion.
PFL Road to Dubai Co-Main Event: Vadim Nemkov vs. Tim Johnson
Former Bellator light heavyweight champion Vadim Nemkov (18-2) looks to pick up where he left off last February when he won his heavyweight debut against Bruno Cappelozza in the PFL vs. Bellator event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Nemkov famously knocked out Ryan Bader at Bellator 244 back in 2020 to become the promotion’s 205 lb champion and he enjoyed a fruitful spell at the top of the division, beating Phil Davis, Julius Anglickas, Corey Anderson and Yoel Romero over the following three years before vacating the belt.
He made that call in order to try to become a two-weight world champion, but also because he had health issues and is “not looking to cut the weight ever again.”
After initially being matched to face Ante Delija and then Corey Anderson this weekend, Nemkov will now face Tim Johnson (18-10) in Saturday’s PFL Road to Dubai co-main event.
Former UFC heavyweight Johnson has been competing under the Bellator banner since 2017 and is expected to carry a significant size advantage over his opponent this weekend, having tipped the scales at 265 lbs in his last outing, in comparison to the 238 lbs that Nemkov weighed in at last February.
PFL Road to Dubai: Nathan Kelly vs. Akhmed Magomedov
Few fighters have looked as impressive under the PFL/Bellator umbrella in recent times as Nathan Kelly (11-2).
The 27-year-old featherweight has finished six of his seven wins since making his Bellator debut back in 2022 and is riding an eleven-fight winning streak after initially beginning his professional career with two losses during an ill-advised sting at 135 lbs.
The Finglas native picked up two memorable first round finsihes in 2024 – a highlight reel elbow KO finish over Vikas Singh Ruhil early in the year before submitting Jose Sanchez in his hometown in June.
Akhmed Magomedov (10-1) steps in at relatively short-notice to replace Khasan Magomedsharipov who withdrew from the bout due to injury.
Former Brave CF contender Magomedov won his Bellator debut with an impressive first-round submission against Kevin Boehm in 2022. He suffered the first defeat of his professional career last time out against Henry Corrales and will look to bounce back against Kelly this weekend during PFL Road to Dubai.
PFL Road to Dubai: Ibragim Ibragimov vs. Kenny Mokhonoana
One of the brightest prospects in the UK MMA scene, Ibragim Ibragimov (8-0), returns to the PFL SmartCage on Saturday’s main card.
20-year-old Ibragimov, who lives and trains in Manchester, England, has spent the bulk of his training camp for this event in his original home of Dagestan, working under the watchful eye of Khabib Nurmagomedov.
“The Mauler” has looked impressive in his two outings in the promotion so far, submitting Josh Reed in less than a minute in his PFL debut last June before outworking Nacho Campos over three rounds in Saudi Arabia in October.
Ireland’s Kenny Mokhonoana (5-1) won his first two fights in Bellator via impressive first-round finishes, but parted ways with the promotion after losing a decision against Josh O’Connor in September of 2023.
PFL Road to Dubai: Renat Khavalov vs. Cleiver Fernandes
Two exciting bantamweight prospects will open up Saturday’s PFL Road to Dubai main card, as Dagestan’s Renat Khavalov (8-0) takes on Brazil’s Cleiver Fernandes (9-1).
Khavalov’s impressive winning run includes six TKO stoppages in his last seven appearances, while former Shooto Brazil champion Fernandes has five submission victories on his record.
