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Usman Nurmagomedov Retains PFL Lightweight Title with Victory Over Paul Hughes
Russian MMA fighter Usman Nurmagomedov successfully defended his PFL lightweight championship in Dubai at the PFL Champions Series 3, securing a unanimous decision win over Ireland’s Paul Hughes after five intense rounds.
This fight marked their second meeting in the cage. The first took place in January 2025, when Nurmagomedov also defeated Hughes by judges’ decision. With this latest triumph, the undefeated 27-year-old now boasts an impressive professional record of 20 wins and no losses.
Notably, one of his previous bouts — a 2023 match against Brent Primus — was followed by controversy. Although Usman won the fight, a positive doping test led to a six-month suspension. However, he retained his Bellator championship belt after clarifying that the result was due to a prescribed medical treatment, which he failed to report.
Paul Hughes, 28, holds a career record of 14 wins and 3 losses. Usman is a cousin of former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov and first claimed his title in November 2022 by defeating Patricky Freire in Bellator. After PFL acquired Bellator in August 2025, his champion status was officially recognized in the new organization.
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The Tennis Cup of Turkmenistan has concluded at the multifunctional sports complex of the Turkmen State Institute of Physical Culture and Sports. A total of 72 athletes representing Ashgabat as well as the Ahal, Dashoguz, Lebap and Mary regions of Turkmenistan competed in the tournament, including 47 men and 25 women.
The competition was organized by the State Committee of Turkmenistan for Physical Culture and Sports together with the Tennis Federation of Turkmenistan and was dedicated to the 30th anniversary of Turkmenistan’s permanent neutrality.
The men’s singles final became the highlight of the event. The decisive match featured the head coach of the national tennis team of Turkmenistan, 30-year-old Yuriy Rogusskiy, against his trainee Allanur Dayanjov. The final lasted three hours and twenty minutes and was decided in a tie-break. Rogusskiy claimed the opening set 6:4, Dayanjov dominated the second set 6:0, and secured victory in the deciding set with a 7:6 score, earning his first-ever Tennis Cup of Turkmenistan.
The third-place match was won by 26-year-old Tennis Federation of Turkmenistan coach Meylis Orazmuhammedov, also a successful participant in Davis Cup zonal competitions. He defeated Didar Vepamyradov in straight sets, 6:3, 6:4.
In the women’s category, the Tennis Cup of Turkmenistan was claimed by Aynur Movlamova, a 10th-grade student from Specialized Secondary School No. 27 in Ashgabat, marking her debut victory at the national level.
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