PFL Dubai Spotlight: Caolan Loughran Embracing a Tougher Test

Caolan Loughran is not a fighter who’s easily fazed.

For the third time in his last five outings, Loughran (10-2 MMA, 2-2 UFC) is preparing to face a late-notice replacement—this time against Jack Cartwright (12-2) at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai this Friday.

“The Don” had originally been scheduled to meet Lewis McGrillen in his promotional debut this week, but the 2024 PFL European Tournament winner withdrew due to illness.

Loughran and McGrillen had traded barbs on social media in the lead-up to the fight, and the Irishman says he suspected all along that McGrillen might not make it to the PFL smartcage.

“I don't give a f**k about Lewis McGrillen,” Loughran told Fighters Only. “I told him several times. I put him on my Instagram story. I told him every time he talks s**t, I replied to him, 'you will pull out.’ I still have the screenshots if anybody doesn't believe me, I said, 'you will pull out.’ I said it to him maybe five times, and he did.

“So very quickly, it becomes (about) who's next. And in my opinion, this is probably a harder fight. So yeah, I can't be dwelling on the past. McGrillen didn't want the fight, so f**k him. I have a probably more dangerous fight now.”

A Chaotic UFC Run

Like Cartwright, Loughran is a former Cage Warriors bantamweight champion. He signed with the UFC in 2023, compiling a 2–2 record inside the Octagon before being released earlier this year after failing to agree to terms on a new contract.

His stint with the UFC was eventful, to say the least. Scheduled bouts with Yanis Ghemmouri and Ramon Taveras fell through during fight week, forcing him into tougher matchups against Taylor Lapilus and Jake Hadley. Having been in that position before, Loughran saw no reason to change his approach after learning of McGrillen’s withdrawal.

“I actually don't know when Lewis pulled out. I found out about it on the Saturday morning, and I was offered three names, and I said yes to three names. I got offered Jack Cartwright, Renat Khavalov, and your man who fought Lapilus, Ali Taleb. I said yes to all three. And I think by about five or six o'clock, it was all sorted that same day.

“I’ve been here before on my UFC debut, it came out on the Monday night (of fight week) that my opponent pulled out. I told them I'll fight anyone you got it (a new opponent) on the Tuesday. Then 10 days before UFC Manchester, my opponent pulled out, the same thing happened. So I wasn't gonna start changing it up now.”

Eyes on PFL Gold

With a Cage Warriors world title and a UFC stint already behind him, Loughran immediately set his sights on capturing championship gold upon signing with the PFL. Given McGrillen’s success during his own run with the promotion, the Tyrone native had viewed the Englishman as a stepping stone toward achieving that goal.

“I don't really know,” he responded when asked if a win over Cartwright could be enough to push him into the title discussion. “Lewis had the European title and stuff and had a bit of a name in PFL, so I think I'd probably need one more (win), to be honest.

“Lewis would have been a perfect debut opponent. I didn't really rate him that highly, but he had some hype and talk behind him. He'd won in the PFL, he had the PFL belt, so I don't know. I probably would need one more win now, if I'm being honest, unfortunately.”