PFL Lightweight Connor Hughes is ready to prove he is ‘the king of the division’, ahead of his PFL European 2024 Lightweight tournament bout against Anatolij Baal.
Having built an impressive 7-0 record on the domestic scene, there were several promotions keen to get Hughes to sign on the dotted line with them. The Liverpudlian opted, as did so many other young prospects, opted to sign with the PFL in 2023. Discussing his decision, Hughes said:
“PFL have grown massively since it started so there's a lot of eyes on it. There were a few other options we could have went for but PFL, with the whole tournament format, knowing your opponents as well is a big thing and just the offer they give us, we couldn't really turn it down and look at what they were doing.
In the first round of the 2023 tournament, Hughes drew Dylan ‘The Nuke’ Tuke. It didn’t work out for the MMA Academy man, who was forced to fight the way in which Tuke dictated throughout proceedings. Not only did the contest mark the end of Hughes’ time in the 2023 tournament, but also seen him on the wrong side of a result for the first time in his professional career. Reflecting on it, the 26-year-old admitted it hurt to begin with but he has managed to take some positives from it.
“It was tough like, you know, when when you fully believe that it's your moment and your time to shine, it stings.
“But, you know, you can either go one way or the other really. You can either turn around and take responsibility of what's going on and look to improve or you can let it fold you in half. you know, we just have to get back to the drawing board. And since that fight, I've grown massively, even down to the team, the training that we are doing, everything is more specific, dialed in and we feel like we all understand the game a bit more from it.
“I learnt a lot and it stung at the time but I definitely needed it. And I feel like this year you're going to see the improvements made because of that.”
Hughes rounded out 2023 in emphatic fashion, beating Sebas Santana Guedes to secure his place in the 2024 Lightweight Tournament. In the opening round he will face Anatolij Baal with X first round finishes between them, fans won’t want to blink when the two clash in the Accorn Arena. Baal has made no secret of the fact he is going to come out and look for yet another early finish, something that Hughes’ still welcoming.
“He’s saying he's going to take me out in the first round as well. So I think if he does try to come at me like that, it's not going to end well for him.
“I don't think it's going the distance, if I'm honest. To be fair, the Baal, he is pretty tough. I’ve saw fights where he's he's been hurt, he's been wobbled and he's came back and some he has won, some he has lost on a split but he's tough. I just think I've got too many weapons for him, I think I am too smart for him and if he does come for me like he's making out he's going to come for me.
“I think I'm going to put him away pretty early if if he tries to take me out of in the first.”
Hughes is one of a number of returning faces to the Lightweight bracket for the 2024 season and as much as he sees the competition as elite, he is not looking past the task at hand.
I obviously know Jakub from last year, Chizov from last year also and I obviously know Kane. I know Kane from the regional circuits he's been down our gym once I think so we know each other. I think if me and Kane got to the final I think that would be an interesting fight.
“It would be a good fight for UK MMA, Liverpool versus Manchester and all that type of stuff. So that would be good. Well, at the same time I'm not really to concerned, to be honest. The only thing I'm focused on is that gold belt really and taking the cash prize home and, them who I’ve just mentioned are on the other side of the bracket.
“I have not really got to worry about them until the finals so for me I'm just I'm focused on Baal now I'll take him out and then whoever's next I'll take them out and one by one they'll all fall and I'll be champion by the end of the year.”
In his final prediction before he meets Baal in the Smart Cage tomorrow, Hughes promised a big finish and top level performance.
“It’ll be a devastating performance. I really do feel like I'm going to take Baal out and I'm going to let everybody know that I'm the king in this division. And, you know, it's it's going to be a big statement. So I honestly feel the best I've ever felt mentally, physically, it's just about getting in there and doing the business and letting people know will expect a finish, expect an exciting fight and just a dominating performance all around.”
