Paul Hughes experienced a night he’ll never forget on Saturday.
Hughes (14-2 MMA, 2-1 PFL) realized a lifelong dream by headlining an event in Belfast—the city he’s called home for over a decade. The Irishman delivered a stunning performance, knocking out Bruno Miranda (17-6 MMA, 4-3 PFL) in just 42 seconds, sending the sold-out SSE Arena into a frenzy and further solidifying his reputation as one of MMA’s most electrifying rising stars.
“My dreams came true tonight”, Hughes told reporters (including Fighters Only) backstage immediately after the fight on Saturday. “Sports people have been the greatest prides of our nation. Ireland, Northern Ireland, Belfast, Derry. And all (of) them years ago, I looked up to these people and I always thought, maybe one day I'll carry myself and represent the people. It's happening. It's happening.”
A Star on the Rise
Former Cage Warriors champion Hughes has been nothing short of a breakout star since joining the PFL last year. His impressive TKO win over Bobby King in his promotional debut last June earned him a significant step up in competition against A.J. McKee at the PFL’s landmark “Battle of the Giants” event in Dubai that October.
Despite entering the bout as a considerable underdog, Hughes delivered on his promise to “shock the world,” dominating the former Bellator champion over three rounds to earn a decision victory.
That performance set the stage for a title shot against Usman Nurmagomedov (19-0 MMA, 8-0 Bellator/PFL) in January. Though Hughes ultimately lost a razor-close decision after five thrilling rounds, his showing left no doubt that he belongs among the elite in the lightweight division.
His quick finish of Bruno Miranda—a seasoned veteran who’s faced some of the PFL’s top talent—further boosts Hughes’ rising stock. Yet even Hughes admitted the emphatic 42-second knockout came as a bit of a surprise.
“I didn't expect to knock him out within a minute, if I'm being honest, because I kind of wanted to take a bit off my punches and stay in there and just be super, super technical and not give him a sniff”, Hughes said. “To punch hard, you have to be in range, and I kind of thought, ‘I'm not even going to let him touch me. I'm just going to outclass him and not even get touched’ because Bruno was a big puncher, a dangerous guy.
“He was not getting the credit he deserved in the lead-up to this fight, and I knew how good he was. So I was going to take a bit off the punches, but as I said in there, I hit very hard. If I hit you in the right spot, it's over. That's what happened.
“I'm actually surprised he didn't go completely out cold with the first one because it just landed so flush. I think he was basically out of it at that point, but a couple more just to finish him off. Yeah, I really hit hard. I haven't maybe shown that much of my career. Yeah, I hurt people, but I'm developing it. I'm digging the toes in a little bit more. I'm hurting people. So I'm going to hurt Usman Nurmagomedov next.”
Hughes Doubles Down on His Mission
Hughes had called for an immediate rematch with Nurmagomedov, but the Dagestani quickly dismissed the idea, insisting that the Irishman would need to earn “three or four wins” before getting another title shot.
Undeterred, Hughes shifted his focus to another major goal—selling out the very arena where he made his professional debut back in 2017.
The victory over Miranda marked Hughes’ fifth fight in just thirteen months, and he’s already setting his sights on the next big challenge in his journey.
“I feel like a young veteran”, he proclaimed. “I feel like I've been doing this. To be honest, I just turned 28 years old. Maybe this is the start of the next chapter. I'm not too sure. Everything's been moving so fast. I think I'm in the middle of a chapter right now. I think when I beat Usman, get the belt, and I start racking up defenses, that'll be the next chapter. But that's where I'm at right now.”
