If you were to turn the clocks back by 12 months, the name Paul Hughes would likely only be recognised by keen mixed martial arts aficionados.
Now, the PFL star has become a well-known figure within the sport after his closely contested fight with Usman Nurmagomedov at PFL Champions Series 1 last month.
‘Big News’ fell to a majority decision defeat on the night but in many ways he emerged a winner as the MMA world took note of his impressive abilities first-hand.
However, amidst the reaction to the bout emerged a shameful X-rated tirade from UFC star Conor McGregor – who took a swipe at Hughes’ Northern Irish nationality.
For Hughes, who fights out of Belfast, it was a point that clearly hit home for him. ‘What he said was unbelievably disrespectful,’ he explained to Mail Sport.
‘It’s probably one of the most disrespectful things that you could say to a fellow Irishman, especially coming from the north of the island. To say that I’m not truly Irish is deeply disrespectful.’
PFL star Paul Hughes is quickly becoming one of the most talked-about prospects in MMA
The Northern Irishman’s stock rose exponentially despite defeat to Usman Nurmagomedov
After his fight, Hughes was on the receiving end of an X-rated tirade from Conor McGregor
Yet, despite the strong words, Hughes remained level-headed. ‘I didn’t take it all that personally. I don’t think it was the Conor that we once knew speaking to me’.
Hughes also stressed that he wasn’t in the business of fighting for validation from McGregor or anyone else. ‘I take that with a pinch of salt, because I don’t believe that’s the man we once knew.’
After the fight, Hughes told Nurmagomedov’s team that he had always respected them, notably distancing himself from McGregor by saying: ‘I’m not like this other guy, I’m my own man,’ an apparent reference to McGregor.
McGregor wasted no time in responding. Making reference to the Irish flag draped around Hughes’ shoulders post-fight, he wrote: ‘Get that flag off you you little know what you are **** form up there.’ The post was swiftly deleted.
Hughes’ battle with Nurmagomedov was seen as his introduction party on the world stage. Despite the defeat, Hughes feels his profile has only grown, and he’s keen to prove that the loss doesn’t define him.
‘I thought the decision should have gone my way,’ Hughes said of his fight with Nurmagomedov. ‘I still believe that was my fight.
‘But all in all, I view it as a positive experience, where my stock has absolutely gone through the roof. And I expected that. I did expect to get my hand raised. But I just need to make sure my hand is raised next time.’
Reflecting on his performance, Hughes acknowledged that there were moments where he could have been more aggressive, but he was cautious not to make any mistakes against such a skilled opponent.
McGregor took issue with Hughes wearing the Irish flag over his shoulders on fight night
Hughes bit back and insisted that UFC legend McGregor is not ‘the man we once knew’
‘I don’t think there were many holes in my game. But when you’re fighting someone with such a good wrestling base, it’s not as easy to just rush in throwing hands. It’s a chess match,’ he explained.
Hughes did, however, point to a pivotal moment in the fourth round that he believes may have swung the fight in Nurmagomedov’s favor.
‘The head clash really affected the momentum of the fight. I think I was getting to him, and I was going to get him out of there. But after the five-minute recovery time, he came back strong, and that was tough to deal with.’
Despite the disappointment of the loss, Hughes is adamant that the exposure he gained from the fight has been a huge boost, both for him personally and for the PFL.
‘This fight went into new territory in terms of worldwide exposure. I think people get too caught up in the UFC brand, thinking that’s where all the best fighters are. But we showed that that’s definitely not the case,’ Hughes said.
‘True MMA fans were tuning in, and beyond that, we got casual fans interested too. That’s very important for the PFL.’
Looking ahead, Hughes is laser-focused on a potential rematch with Usman Nurmagomedov, who remains undefeated and a rising star in the sport.
‘The rematch will happen definitely this year,’ Hughes declared confidently. ‘I know when I fight him, I’ll beat him, and there will be a trilogy when it’s all said and done.’
Hughes envisions victory over Nurmagomedov in a rematch before setting up a trilogy bout
Hughes also commented on Khabib Nurmagomedov’s kind offer to help him train after the fight, but made it clear that he won’t be taking up that offer until after his rivalry with Usman is settled.
‘It was a very generous offer, but it won’t be something I’ll look to do until all things are said and done with Usman and myself,’ he said.
With his confidence unwavering and his future looking bright, Paul Hughes is ready to make an even bigger name for himself in the PFL.
His journey to the top may have hit a bump in the road against Usman Nurmagomedov, but with a clear plan for the future, it’s only a matter of time before Hughes reasserts himself as one of the sport’s rising stars.
