Usman Nurmagomedov vs. Paul Hughes 2 went down on Friday night in Dubai at PFL’s Champion Series 3 event, with Usman once again edging Hughes in the cage over five rounds. Or at least that’s how many fans saw it.
MMA Mania scored the bout 48-47 for Hughes. We recognize based on close rounds that 48-47 Nurmagomedov is realistic. Both are ‘acceptable’ scores. The official scorecards? They were something else entirely. Bryan Miner scored it 50-45 Nurmagomedov, which is insane. Hadi Ali had it 49-46 Nurmagomedov. Darryl Ransom had it 48-47, which lines up with reality.
Even though an honest opinion on the fight is that it could have gone either way, the scorecards suggest there was little Hughes could do in front of these judges that would have earned him the nod.
“I don’t see how you don’t give Paul Hughes at least two rounds,” veteran reporter Ariel Helwani said during his PFL post-fight show. “50 to 45, as I sit here today, and I’m quite agitated, might be the worst singular scorecard that I’ve ever seen in the history of mixed martial arts.”
“Whomever that person is … should never be allowed to not only judge MMA, he should never be allowed in a arena watching MMA because that is the most despicable scorecard that I’ve ever seen. 50 to 45 in favor of Usman Nurmagomedov is an absolute disgusting, despicable, laughable scorecard, and that means that it was not fair terms for Paul Hughes.”
Let’s take a look at what is being said of the Nurmagomedov vs. Hughes 2 scorecards.
Let us know who you think won in the comments below!
