Paul Hughes has become one of Ireland’s most popular fighters in less than 12 fights and now his eyes are on the world. The former Cage Warriors featherweight champion has big plans since signing with the Professional Fighters League last April, but first he must get the job done back home.
Prior to competing in the PFL season, the 27-year-old Belfast native will make his company debut against Bobby King in the co-main event of Bellator Champions Series Dublin at the 3Arena on June 22, an event that will be streamed live in the US on the HBO Max app.
Hughes will co-headline a card that also features a showdown between Bellator MMA welterweight champion Jason Jackson and Ramazan Kurrumagomedov, but it will be Hughes who will be the most beloved by the local fans. Hughes is a rising star who will captivate Irish fans.
“3Arena is so iconic so it’ll be a big moment for me,” Hughes said. “Having the opportunity to co-headline it is fantastic. It’s a fantastic addition to my career and what I’ve achieved so far.”
Hughes (11-1) avenged the only loss of his career and is on a five-fight winning streak since December 2020. With knockout power in both hands and a loyal fan base, Hughes has attracted interest from the Ultimate Fighting Championship but is confident he made the right decision by signing with PFL.
“So far, it’s been good,” he said. “I like to say I’m a young veteran in the game, but at the same time, I feel like I’m starting over. Joining PFL/Bellator is a new start in life. I’ve had new energy throughout training camp and I’m very excited.”
Though Hughes is the favorite to win, he’s not taking King (12-6) lightly. He’s done his homework, even saying it will be a “hard as hell night” against the Bellator veteran. King has the experience and comes from a strong Ban Muay Thai camp. He’ll do everything he can to spoil Hughes’ debut.
“We always have a game plan, but we never plan too far ahead,” King said. “We’re just going to go out there and compete, and we’re going to figure out the puzzle as we go.”
Hughes values King’s threat but doesn’t expect King to slow him down. Hughes has seen leaps and bounds in his game since splitting training camps with Fight Academy Ireland and Kill Cliff FC. Hughes has honed his craft against the best and is confident he can live up to expectations.
Hughes will just have to wait and see how his opportunity ultimately presents itself, but the rising star already has the ideal plan in front of him: if he succeeds in Dublin, Hughes already knows where he wants to be in the coming years.
“I think it’s pretty simple,” Hughes said. “Three more games this year. Three more wins. Play in a million-dollar tournament. Have a perfect season. Beat everyone I play. Win a million dollars. Repeat.”
