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‘Dream to reality’ – Paul Hughes next fight confirmed as PFL star set for homecoming
Paul Hughes will fulfill his lifelong dream when he makes his PFL return in May. Hughes, who has the potential to surpass UFC legend Conor McGregor in MMA, has quickly become one of the sport’s most promising fighters. ‘Big News’ boasts a professional MMA record of 13-2PFL He was narrowly defeated by Usman Nurmagomedov in his last fight this past JanuaryPFL Following his title challenge this past January against Usman Nurmagomedov, the 27-year-old is set for a homecoming showcase bout. He will headline PFL Europe Belfast on May 10 at The SSE Arena and in doing so will fulfill his lifelong dream to main event Belfast’s iconic venue. The SSE Arena is situated a stone’s throw away from Hughes’ Fight Academy Ireland MMA gym and ‘Big News’ has promised his fans a spectacle. “All my career I’ve said I will main event The SSE Arena, and we’ve made my dream into a reality,” Hughes said. “Belfast, I’m coming to put on a show for my people, and I will show you how much your support means to me. It’s time to get to work.” As a 27-year-old, Hughes accomplished everything possible on the regional stage before entering free agency. He had become the first Irish fighter since McGregor to win featherweight gold at Cage Warriors in November 2022. Hughes was pursued by most major mixed martial arts promotions, including Dana White‘s UFC, before choosing the PFL. ‘Big News’ made his PFL debut on the same card as Francis Ngannou in October 2024, when he announced his name to the world by defeating ex-featherweight champion AJ McKee. He then continued to showcase his elite level by going toe-to-toe with Nurmagomedov, narrowly losing out via a majority decision to the current lightweight champion. Hughes went to war with Nurmagomedov in JanuaryPFL The 27-year-old went viral for embracing the crimson red on his face during the fightPFL Nurmagomedov is the cousin of UFC icon Khabib Nurmagomedov and a rematch with Hughes following their classic in January was the fight thousands of MMA fans wanted to see next. However, with Ramadan ongoing until the end of March, the champion would only have had a few weeks of training before a fight in Belfast. Therefore, it ultimately makes sense to keep Hughes as active as possible for now with the rematch likely to come later in the year. Following the fight with Nurmagomedov, McGregor, who was once the Hughes’ idol, sparked outrage with an X-rated rant aimed at the Derry MMA star, taking a swipe at his his Northern Irish nationality. Hughes sat down with talkSPORT MMA in February to discuss the controversial incident, asserting that McGregor is a shadow of his former self. “I wasn’t disappointed and didn’t take it very personally at all,” Hughes said. McGregor told Hughes to take his flag off in a social media attack “The Conor that said that is just not the Conor we once knew. So I do take it with a pinch of salt and that’s my honest thoughts on it.” Speaking on the Belfast card, PFL Chief Executive Officer Pete Murray asserted his intentions to give back to all of Hughes’ fans. “We knew we had to reward the fighting Irish fandom with a Paul Hughes homecoming,” he said. “The vocal support for Paul meant this was an easy decision, and I can’t wait to feel the atmosphere of The SSE Arena during the main event. “But we plan to stack the card with our PFL Europe Tournament fighters, and a host of athletes who are prepared to lay it all on the line and put on a show. “Belfast, get your tickets, we have a feeling this event will go down in history.” Belfast will be the home of PFL Europe’s first tournament of 2025, which will see fighters enter a bracket to win the promotion’s European title and a cash prize of $100,000 (£77,000). Hughes is the headline showcase bout for the event, therefore will not be competing for the cash prize with tournament fighters to be announced for the Belfast card soon Mancunian Lewis McGrillen, 24, won PFL Europe’s bantamweight title in Lyon, France, last December by knocking out Alexander Luster to win $100,000. Dakota Ditcheva, who hails from Sale, Greater Manchester, was also crowned PFL’s flyweight world champion in the same month. She became Britain’s newest MMA millionaire after knocking out Taila Santos, a former UFC fighter, in two rounds to remain undefeated.
Paul Hughes will fulfill his lifelong dream when he makes his PFL return in May.
Hughes, who has the potential to surpass UFC legend Conor McGregor in MMA, has quickly become one of the sport’s most promising fighters.
Following his title challenge this past January against Usman Nurmagomedov, the 27-year-old is set for a homecoming showcase bout.
He will headline PFL Europe Belfast on May 10 at The SSE Arena and in doing so will fulfill his lifelong dream to main event Belfast’s iconic venue.
The SSE Arena is situated a stone’s throw away from Hughes’ Fight Academy Ireland MMA gym and ‘Big News’ has promised his fans a spectacle.
“All my career I’ve said I will main event The SSE Arena, and we’ve made my dream into a reality,” Hughes said.
“Belfast, I’m coming to put on a show for my people, and I will show you how much your support means to me. It’s time to get to work.”
As a 27-year-old, Hughes accomplished everything possible on the regional stage before entering free agency.
He had become the first Irish fighter since McGregor to win featherweight gold at Cage Warriors in November 2022.
Hughes was pursued by most major mixed martial arts promotions, including Dana White‘s UFC, before choosing the PFL.
‘Big News’ made his PFL debut on the same card as Francis Ngannou in October 2024, when he announced his name to the world by defeating ex-featherweight champion AJ McKee.
He then continued to showcase his elite level by going toe-to-toe with Nurmagomedov, narrowly losing out via a majority decision to the current lightweight champion.
Nurmagomedov is the cousin of UFC icon Khabib Nurmagomedov and a rematch with Hughes following their classic in January was the fight thousands of MMA fans wanted to see next.
However, with Ramadan ongoing until the end of March, the champion would only have had a few weeks of training before a fight in Belfast.
Therefore, it ultimately makes sense to keep Hughes as active as possible for now with the rematch likely to come later in the year.
Following the fight with Nurmagomedov, McGregor, who was once the Hughes’ idol, sparked outrage with an X-rated rant aimed at the Derry MMA star, taking a swipe at his his Northern Irish nationality.
Hughes sat down with talkSPORT MMA in February to discuss the controversial incident, asserting that McGregor is a shadow of his former self.
“I wasn’t disappointed and didn’t take it very personally at all,” Hughes said.
“The Conor that said that is just not the Conor we once knew. So I do take it with a pinch of salt and that’s my honest thoughts on it.”
Speaking on the Belfast card, PFL Chief Executive Officer Pete Murray asserted his intentions to give back to all of Hughes’ fans.
“We knew we had to reward the fighting Irish fandom with a Paul Hughes homecoming,” he said.
“The vocal support for Paul meant this was an easy decision, and I can’t wait to feel the atmosphere of The SSE Arena during the main event.
“But we plan to stack the card with our PFL Europe Tournament fighters, and a host of athletes who are prepared to lay it all on the line and put on a show.
“Belfast, get your tickets, we have a feeling this event will go down in history.”
Belfast will be the home of PFL Europe’s first tournament of 2025, which will see fighters enter a bracket to win the promotion’s European title and a cash prize of $100,000 (£77,000).
Hughes is the headline showcase bout for the event, therefore will not be competing for the cash prize with tournament fighters to be announced for the Belfast card soon
Mancunian Lewis McGrillen, 24, won PFL Europe’s bantamweight title in Lyon, France, last December by knocking out Alexander Luster to win $100,000.
Dakota Ditcheva, who hails from Sale, Greater Manchester, was also crowned PFL’s flyweight world champion in the same month.
She became Britain’s newest MMA millionaire after knocking out Taila Santos, a former UFC fighter, in two rounds to remain undefeated.
