How to Watch PFL Road to Dubai Champions Series

The PFL 2025 event schedule starts Saturday with "Road To Dubai Champions Series" from the United Arab Emirates.

The 11-fight card is headlined by arguably the promotion's biggest non-tournament fight this year between Usman Nurmagomedov (18-0 MMA, 7-0 Bellator) and "Big News" Paul Hughes (13-1 MMA, 1-0 Bellator, 1-0 PFL).

(Exclusive) Usman Nurmagomedov on Paul Hughes & PFL Road to Dubai Champions Series

Nurmagomedov, 26, is fresh off a unanimous decision win against Alexander Shabily last September in his second successful title defense. The brother of UFC bantamweight contender Umar Nurmagomedov and cousin of UFC Hall of Famer Khabib Nurmagomedov, Usman spoke to MMA Knockout about Hughes as an opponent and what to expect come fight night.

How to Watch PFL Road to Dubai Champions Series - Usman Nurmagomedov vs. Paul Hughes — Nurmagomedov defended his title against Alexander Shabliy in September. | (Bellator MMA/PFL MMA)

"I’m different," Nurmagomedov told MMA Knockout. "If he wants to strike, I can strike with him. If you want to grapple, I can grapple. Wrestle, judo, Muay Thai, doesn’t matter. Any discipline, I can compete with him and I can beat him there. Because you know – Not I can, I will beat him there. And I will maul this guy all five rounds. It’s not gonna even be a close fight.”

Hughes isn't fazed by what Nurmagomedov's lineage brings, much less his unbeaten résumé.

"I’m prepared for all outcomes," Hughes said in an exclusive interview with MMA Knockout. "I’m ready to beat him over five rounds. I know that I very comfortably can beat him over five rounds, especially in modern-day MMA, how it’s damage – damage is everything, and that’s what I’m damn good at. It just takes me a few moments in each round to cause serious damage, whereas Usman is more of a longer-range, flicky kind of fighter. I see myself beating him up pretty bad, to be completely honest.”

There are no other title fights on the card, as newly-minted heavyweight Vadim Nemkov (18-2 MMA, 9-0, 1 NC Bellator) co-headlines against longtime MMA veteran Tim Johnson (18-10 MMA, 4-5 Bellator) alongside a whole host of international talent throughout the rest of the event

(Exclusive) Paul Hughes Embraces "Destiny" in PFL Main Event with Usman Nurmagomedov

Check out the full fight card order below, as it gets underway on MAX in the U.S. at 11 a.m. ET/8 a.m. PT at the Coca-Cola Arena.

PFL Road to Dubai Champions Series Main Card

Lightweight World Title Bout: Usman Nurmagomedov (18-0) vs. Paul Hughes (13-1)
Heavyweight Co-Main Event: Vadim Nemkov (18-2) vs. Tim Johnson (18-10)
Featherweight Main Card Bout: Akhmed Magomedov (10-1) vs. Nathan Kelly (11-2)
Featherweight Main Card Bout: Ibragim Ibragimov (8-0) vs. Kenny Mokhonoana (5-1)
Bantamweight Main Card Bout: Renat Khavalov (8-0) vs. Cleiver Fernandes (9-1)

𝗢𝗙𝗙𝗜𝗖𝗜𝗔𝗟: Your updated #RoadToDubai Fight Card 🔐

•Yakub Sulimanov vs. Jarrah Al-Selawe is off the card
•𝗡𝗘𝗪 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗥𝗧 𝗧𝗜𝗠𝗘: 11am ET #RoadToDubai | Sat Jan 25 | Coca-Cola Arena | Dubai, UAE | 11AM ET | Streaming on @SportsonMax pic.twitter.com/RKt0kVcrdn
— PFL (@PFLMMA) January 21, 2025

PFL Road to Dubai Champions Series Preliminary Card

Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Tarek Suleiman (13-8) vs. Ahmed Samy (11-4)
Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Mirafzal Akhtamov (7-0-1) vs. Mike Thompson (7-2)
Flyweight Preliminary Bout: Hadi Omar Al Hussaini (5-1-1) vs. Ruel Pañales (5-2)
Lightweight Preliminary Bout: John Mitchell (9-2) vs. Souhil Tairi (7-5-1)
Middleweight Preliminary Bout: Mostafa Nada (9-3) vs. Haider Khan (8-1)
Amateur Lightweight Preliminary Bout: Saeed Alhosani (0-1) vs. Talal Alqallaf (1-0)

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