PFL star Paul Hughes employed a technique inspired by Tom Aspinall to send a message to his longtime rival.
In January at PFL Champions Series 1, Paul Hughes and Usman Nurmagomedov delivered one of the year`s best matchups to fight fans. Months after their bout, tension remains between Hughes and Nurmagomedov, with many calling for a lightweight rematch.
Hughes hasn`t entered the cage since May, when he knocked out Bruno Miranda in just 42 seconds at PFL Europe 1. Although his fight wasn`t scheduled for PFL Europe 2 on Saturday, Hughes came to Brussels to support his colleagues from cageside.
But even while not competing at PFL Europe 2, Hughes took the opportunity during the broadcast to playfully taunt his main rival.
Paul Hughes Signals Usman Nurmagomedov Amidst Rematch Speculation
Earlier this year, UFC heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall playfully provoked Jon Jones at UFC London by holding up a plastic duck during the live broadcast as a jab at his longtime opponent. However, Aspinall`s attempts to get under Jones`s skin didn`t lead to their heavyweight clash, as Jones announced his retirement from MMA last month.
During the PFL Europe 2 broadcast, Hughes parodied Aspinall`s viral moment by teasing Nurmagomedov with a similar toy duck.
As of this writing, Nurmagomedov has not publicly responded to Hughes. Previously, Nurmagomedov had urged Hughes to secure at least one more victory before making a case for a rematch.
PFL recently hinted at Nurmagomedov`s next fight, announcing that the winner of the bout between Archie Colgan and Mansour Barnaoui at PFL World Tournament 6 would be his next opponent. Colgan won that fight by unanimous decision.
Hughes was displeased with PFL`s decision to name Colgan as Nurmagomedov`s next opponent. It remains unclear whether Hughes will choose to wait while Nurmagomedov faces Colgan or if he will take another fight against a different rising contender.
Tom Aspinall Might Finally Face Jon Jones After Ex-Champ Hints at Return
A timeline for Aspinall`s return for his first undisputed heavyweight title defense has not yet been set. Several potential opponents, including Ciryl Gane and Alexander Volkov, have been mentioned.
Just weeks after announcing his career conclusion, Jones revealed he has re-entered the UFC`s drug testing pool, sparking speculation of a potential comeback. Jones`s coach recently confirmed the former UFC heavyweight champion`s return to the testing program as he plans a possible Octagon return.
While the UFC heavyweight division continues without Jones, Aspinall is considering other potential challenges. However, the Aspinall vs. Jones matchup might cease being just a fantasy much sooner than expected.
Benedict Kingsley 
Rupert Hartwell