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The MMA community reacted strongly on Friday night to the rematch between Paul Hughes and Usman Nurmagomedov. Nurmagomedov secured a victory over Hughes for the second time in 10 months, retaining the PFL lightweight title in Dubai. The fight was closely contested, with Nurmagomedov winning by scores of 50-45, 49-46, 48-47, which sparked controversy among fans and journalists.

Many fans and journalists criticized the scorecards, particularly the 50-45 decision, with some calling it an "abomination" and "insane." The consensus was that the fight was close enough to warrant a 48-47 scorecard in either fighter's favor. Some felt that the wide margins on the first two scorecards were damaging to the credibility of the judging.

The Independent scored the bout 48-47 in favor of Nurmagomedov, acknowledging that a 48-47 win for Hughes could also be justified after a closely contested fight. The PFL issued a correction for the first scorecard, which was initially scored as 50-44 due to a 10-8 round in round five.

Usman Nurmagomedov expressed that he felt he won every round but acknowledged it was a tough fight. Hughes thanked everyone for their support and expressed his intention to return to the ring. Both fighters showed mutual respect towards each other after the match.