Issue 216
May 2025
As he preps to fulfill his lifetime ambition of headlining a major event in his hometown of Belfast, Paul Hughes sits down with Fighters Only’s Paul Browne to discuss being the face of Irish MMA.
A fighter rarely earns star power without setting foot in a UFC Octagon, but Paul Hughes is rewriting the script. The Irish standout hit free agency in 2024 after dominating Cage Warriors, fielded offers from across the MMA landscape, including the UFC, and chose the PFL as his proving ground. Two wins in, he did what few dared: he called out unbeaten champ Usman Nurmagomedov. Over five electric rounds, Hughes gave the Dagestani his toughest test yet. He fell just short on the scorecards but raised his stock higher than ever. Now, with Bruno Miranda in his sights on May 10, we caught up with Hughes to talk Irish MMA, momentum, and why the fight game's spotlight is swinging back toward the Emerald Isle.
WHAT’S NEXT
“I see myself as certainly one of the most entertaining and talked-about fighters in the world right now,” Hughes answers when asked about his PFL journey. “I mean, after that fight against Usman, I think I really made waves because nobody was expecting me to even to come close to him, so I think I gained a lot of new fans and supporters that night for sure.”
For many, the UFC is the ultimate goal. Anything less is seen as a consolation prize, but Hughes sees it differently.
“Since the moment I signed with them, the PFL have provided me with amazing opportunities and promoted me as one of the faces of the company,” Hughes says. “I mean, they put me in the co-main event in Dublin for my debut. That was amazing. And then to get the opportunity that they granted me to fight A.J. McKee, who was obviously a champion for them for a very long time, and one of their biggest stars, that gave me the opportunity to prove how good I am. Now, I've been saying it for years about how good I am, but at the end of the day, I hadn't fought anybody at that level, so they granted me that opportunity to basically sink or swim, and that catapulted me to the Usman fight.”
PADDY POWER
Following his loss to Nurmagomedov, he called for a rematch in Belfast. Understandably, the champ was hesitant to fight on enemy soil, so Bruno Miranda was next.
“Absolutely no question,” Hughes responds when asked if he sees this fight as recompense. “And I see it as a reward to my supporters as well because they've been traveling everywhere that I've fought, whether that's London or Dubai or Saudi Arabia, so it's a treat for them too. It’s an unbelievable thing. Man-it's a real honor. It has been my dream to fight at home again. I made my pro debut there just over eight years ago in the SSE Arena, and I recall just saying someday I'm gonna sell this place out myself, and now it’s about to happen.”
Hughes spent five years in Cage Warriors, capturing the featherweight title before moving to the PFL. During his early days, he struck a friendship with Ian Machado Garry.
“For many years, Ian had completely shot ahead of me,” he says. “He got signed early days to the UFC, and I was still fighting in the regional scene for probably two, maybe three years afterwards. It’s funny now that we're in different organizations, and I've climbed to the top of my organization. He's now obviously at the top of the UFC. It's a great thing for Irish MMA. It's a cool thing that, obviously we came up together. We always both kind of recognized in each other that we have the same mindset, so I knew he would always go to the top. He probably knew I always would, too, because it really is a mental game, and I saw that spark in him. There's a few athletes that I can relate to on that level, where I can just tell that they've got the secret sauce. It's great to see him there now. You gotta put some respect in that man's name after all of the short-notice opportunities and the guys that he's been fighting. He really doesn't get the credit he deserves, to be completely honest. He's absolutely smashing it. He passed another tough test recently by beating Carlos Prates, and I think he fights for a UFC world title this year.”
THE IRISH SURGE
It has been a breakout year for Irish fighters, who are collectively 4-0 this year. Conor McGregor has left a sour taste in the mouths of many Irish. However, the new wave of fighters can potentially shift public perception.
“I'm always going to try and carry myself the best that I can,” he says. “It's not really up to me to decide whether I'm like the new face or carrying the torch. It's for the people to decide. All I can do is continue to be myself, continue to deliver in my fights, and try to carry myself as best as I can. You know I'm human, like everyone else, so I'm sure I will make mistakes. But you know, I do take it seriously being a role model because I do see the kids now at my gym and other gyms looking up to me, so it's obviously something that I take seriously, and I will try my best to set a good example. But as I say, human like everyone else, I'm sure I'll make mistakes, but that's all I can do is try my best. It certainly is the next chapter in the Irish MMA. It really is. We are the chapter that were inspired by the last chapter, and now we're following in their footsteps. And hopefully, we succeed because things are certainly looking good this year.”
NEW IRISH PRIDE
Hughes has always carried himself admirably and is a strong role model. When asked what advice, the 28-year-old offers some wise words.
“If you don't want this to be your life and your full-time professional career then enjoy the f*** out of it, try not to get hurt too badly, enjoy the camaraderie with all your team,” he says. “But if you are someone who wants to make this your life and your profession, then prepare yourself for hell. I don’t say that lightly, because it really is one of the most difficult sports in the world. But the growth that can come from doing things that are extremely, extremely hard is the most important thing of it all. The person that you can become if you chase this extraordinarily hard goal of being a professional fighter. You can become an exceptional person because adversity builds character, and this game is just adversity after adversity after adversity. So be prepared for an incredibly hard journey, but definitely a journey worth taking.”
As he prepares to walk out in Belfast as the headliner, he’s not just chasing a dream. He’s carrying a nation with him.
