There may not have been punches thrown between Paul Hughes and Usman Nurmagomedov this weekend, but the psychological warfare at PFL Europe 2 in Brussels was unmistakable. Hughes brought a toy duck cageside — a sharp, symbolic jab aimed at Nurmagomedov, echoing the growing frustration over a rematch that hasn't materialized.
The move clearly referenced Tom Aspinall’s viral stunt earlier this year, when the UFC interim heavyweight champ pulled out a plastic duck to mock Jon Jones on live TV. Aspinall didn’t get his wish, but he made headlines. Hughes seems to be following the same script — keeping the pressure on his rival in the most visible way possible.
The tension stems from their memorable clash at the PFL Champions Series back in January. While Hughes bounced back in brutal fashion with a 42-second knockout of Bruno Miranda at PFL Europe 1, Nurmagomedov has since been booked to fight Archie Colgan, who recently beat Mansour Barnaoui.
Hughes clearly isn’t happy with that direction. The duck wasn’t just for laughs — it was a calculated message: he’s ready for the rematch, and he’s not letting the storyline fade. For now, Nurmagomedov has stayed silent, but fans can sense the tension building.
Will Hughes take another bout while Nurmagomedov faces Colgan? Or will he bide his time and keep turning up the volume from the sidelines? Either way, it’s clear: Paul Hughes knows how to keep himself in the spotlight — even without stepping back into the cage.
