PFL Champions Series 1: Nurmagomedov vs. Hughes (also known as PFL Champions Series - Road to Dubai) is an upcoming mixed martial arts event produced by Professional Fighters League that will take place on January 25, 2025, at Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
Fight Card
Main card (MAX)
Lightweight Usman Nurmagomedov (c) vs. Paul Hughes Lightweight Championship
Heavyweight Vadim Nemkov vs. Timothy Johnson
Featherweight Akhmed Magomedov vs. Nathan Kelly
Featherweight Ibragim Ibragimov vs. Kenny Mokhonoana
Bantamweight Renat Khavalov vs. Cleiver Fernandes
Preliminary Card (MAX)
Middleweight Ahmed Sami vs. Tarek Suleiman
Welterweight Jarrah Al-Silawi vs. Yakub Sulimanov
Lightweight Mirafzal Akhtamov vs. Mike Thompson
Flyweight Ruel Pañales vs. Hadi Al Hussaini
Lightweight John Mitchell vs. Souhil Tahïri
Middleweight Mostafa Rashed Nada vs. Haider Khan
Amateur bouts
Featherweight Saeed AlHosani vs. Talal AlQallaf
Background
The event will mark the organization debut in United Arab Emirates.
The Champion Series 6 event was initially scheduled to take place under the Bellator MMA banner on November 16, 2024 at Adidas Arena in Paris, France with a Bantamweight title bout between Patchy Mix and Leandro Higo as the main event. However, this event was later cancelled due to unspecified reasons.
A Bellator Lightweight World Championship bout between current champion Usman Nurmagomedov and Paul Hughes is expected to headline the event.
A heavyweight bout between former Bellator Light Heavyweight Champion Vadim Nemkov and 2022 PFL heavyweight winner Ante Delija was scheduled for the event. However, Delija withdrew due to not ever signing the contract due to him undergoing elbow surgery and was replaced by current light heavyweight champion (also The Ultimate Fighter 19 light heavyweight winner) Corey Anderson in a trilogy bout. The pairing first met at Bellator 277, which the bout ended by no-contest in round two due to accidental clash of heads rendered Nemkov unable to continue. Their second meeting took place at Bellator 288, which Nemkov defended the title and won the tournament by unanimous decision. In turn, on December 15, Anderson stated that the fight was off because he is "too tough of a fight" for Nemkov. Nemkov now will face Timothy Johnson instead.
Khasan Magomedsharipov and Nathan Kelly were scheduled to meet in a featherweight bout. However, Magomedsharipov withdrew for unknown reasons and was replaced by Akhmed Magomedov.
