PFL Champions Series 3
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PFL Champions Series Dubai: Nurmagomedov vs. Hughes 2 was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Professional Fighters League that took place on October 3, 2025, at Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Background
The event marked the promotion's second visit to Dubai and first since PFL Champions Series 1 in January 2025.
A PFL Lightweight World Championship rematch between a current Bellator Lightweight Champion Usman Nurmagomedov and former Cage Warriors Featherweight Champion Paul Hughes headlined the event. The pairing previously met at PFL Champions Series 1 in January 2025, which Nurmagomedov defended the title by majority decision.
The co-main event took place a PFL Light Heavyweight World Championship bout between a current Bellator Light Heavyweight Champion (also The Ultimate Fighter: Team Edgar vs. Team Penn light heavyweight winner) Corey Anderson and 2024 PFL Light Heavyweight Tournament winner Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov. The pairing previously met in the Bellator Light Heavyweight Grand Prix at Bellator 257 in April 2021, which Anderson advanced to semifinal by technical knockout in round three.
Artem Lobov and Zubaira Tukhugov were scheduled to meet at this event. The pairing was initially scheduled for UFC Fight Night: Volkan vs. Smith in October 2018, but Tukhugov was removed from the bout due his role in the UFC 229 post-fight melee. However on September 30, the promotion announced that the bout was scrapped due to Lobov's suffered an injury in training.
Results
| Main card (ESPN App) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight class | Method | Round | Time | Notes | |||
| Lightweight | Usman Nurmagomedov | def. | Paul Hughes | Decision (unanimous) (50–45, 49–46, 48–47) | 5 | 5:00 | |
| Light Heavyweight | Corey Anderson | def. | Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov | Decision (unanimous) (49–45, 49–45, 48–47) | 5 | 5:00 | |
| Bantamweight | Sergio Pettis | def. | Magomed Magomedov | KO (spinning back elbow and punch) | 2 | 4:31 | |
| Lightweight | Archie Colgan | def. | Jay-Jay Wilson | Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 29–28) | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Catchweight (140 lb) | Jack Cartwright | def. | Caolán Loughran | Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Preliminary card (ESPN App) | |||||||
| Heavyweight | Pouya Rahmani | def. | Slim Trabelsi | TKO (punches) | 1 | 2:47 | |
| Welterweight | Florim Zendeli | def. | Omar El Dafrawy | Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28) | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Lightweight | Mirafzal Akhtamov | def. | Luann Sardinha | Decision (split) (29–28, 28–29, 29–28) | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Lightweight | Takeshi Izumi | def. | Vinicius Sacchelli Cenci | Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 29–28, 29–28) | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Lightweight | Makkasharip Zaynukov | def. | John Mitchell | Decision (unanimous) (30–26, 29–28, 29–28) | 3 | 5:00 | |
| Middleweight | Jarrah Al-Silawi | def. | Gregory Babene | Decision (split) (28–29, 29–28, 30–27) | 3 | 5:00 |