Paul Hughes (fighter)

Last updated

Paul Hughes
Born (1997-03-27) 27 March 1997 (age 27)
Sydney, Australia
Other namesBig News
Height5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Weight155 lb (70 kg; 11 st 1 lb)
Division Featherweight
Lightweight
Reach70 in (178 cm) [1]
Fighting out ofBelfast, Northern Ireland
Team Fight Academy Ireland
Years active2017–present
Mixed martial arts record
Total14
Wins13
By knockout6
By submission3
By decision4
Losses1
By decision1
Amateur record
Total8
Wins6
By submission2
Losses2
Other information
Mixed martial arts record from Sherdog

Paul Hughes (born 27 March 1997) is an Irish professional mixed martial artist who currently competes in the Lightweight division of Professional Fight League (PFL). A professional MMA fighter since 2017, Hughes is a former Cage Warriors Featherweight Champion.

Contents

Background

Born on March 27, 1997, in Sydney, Australia, Hughes grew up in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland, where he initially participated in sports like Gaelic football and hurling before transitioning to MMA. His professional MMA career began in 2017, following a successful amateur career with a 6-2 record and two Clan Wars amateur featherweight championships. [2]

Early Career

Hughes first gained attention in the European MMA scene with Cage Warriors, where he won the interim featherweight title by defeating Morgan Charriere and later unified the division by winning a rematch against Jordan Vucenic. This bout avenged his only career loss, which he suffered in a close split decision to Vucenic in 2020. His performances and Cage Warriors success drew attention from major MMA organizations, and he eventually signed with the Professional Fighters League (PFL)

Professional Fighters League (PFL)/ Bellator

Hughes made his debut by defeating Bobby King via unanimous decision at Bellator Champions Series 3 on June 22, 2024, This victory set the stage for a significant challenge against A.J. McKee, a former Bellator featherweight champion, at PFL Super Fights: Battle of the Giants on October 19, 2024. [3] He won the fight by split decision. [4]

Hughes is scheduled to compete for the Bellator Lightweight World Championship against Usman Nurmagomedov on January 25, 2025 in the main event of PFL: Road to Dubai - Champions Series. [5]

Championships and accomplishments

Mixed martial arts record

Professional record breakdown
14 matches13 wins1 loss
By knockout60
By submission30
By decision41
Res.RecordOpponentMethodEventDateRoundTimeLocationNotes
Win13–1 A. J. McKee Decision (split) PFL Super Fights: Battle of the Giants October 19, 202435:00 Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Win12–1Bobby KingTKO (punches and elbows) Bellator Champions Series 3 June 22, 202424:50 Dublin, Ireland
Win11–1Fabiano SilvaTKO (knee and elbows)Cage Warriors 170April 6, 202414:37 Dublin, IrelandCatchweight (160 lb) bout.
Win10–1Jan QuaeyhaegensKO (punches)Cage Warriors 161October 14, 202312:47 Dublin, IrelandReturn to Lightweight.
Win9–1Jordan VucenicDecision (unanimous)Cage Warriors 145November 4, 202255:00 London, EnglandWon and unified the Cage Warriors Featherweight Championship.
Win8–1Morgan CharrièreDecision (majority)Cage Warriors 128October 1, 202155:00 London, EnglandWon the interim Cage Warriors Featherweight Championship.
Win7–1James HendinDecision (unanimous)Cage Warriors 120March 18, 202135:00 London, England
Loss6–1Jordan VucenicDecision (split)Cage Warriors 119December 12, 202035:00 London, England
Win6–0Aidan StephenSubmission (rear-naked choke)Cage Warriors 116August 11, 202034:21 Manchester, EnglandReturn to Featherweight.
Win5–0Youri PanadaKO (head kick)Cage Warriors 112March 7, 202022:33 Manchester, EnglandCatchweight (150 lb) bout.
Win4–0Kalifa SeydiSubmission (rear-naked choke)Cage Conflict 2October 26, 201911:43 Belfast, Northern IrelandLightweight debut. Won the inaugural Cage Conflict Lightweight Championship.
Win3–0Mateusz MakarowskiSubmission (rear-naked choke)Cage Warriors: Unplugged 2September 6, 201912:34 London, EnglandCatchweight (164 lb) bout.
Win2–0Stephen O'NeillTKO (punches)Cage Conflict 1March 9, 201913:00 Belfast, Northern IrelandWon the inaugural Cage Conflict Featherweight Championship.
Win1–0Doolotaly ChodonovTKO (punches) BAMMA 28 February 24, 201711:32 Belfast, Northern IrelandFeatherweight debut.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">American Kickboxing Academy</span> Martial arts gym in San Jose, California

The American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) is a mixed martial arts gym based in San Jose, California. It is one of the pioneering schools of mixed martial arts (MMA). In 2014, AKA opened the AKA Thailand gym in Phuket, Thailand. Prominent trainers include Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu master Leandro Vieira, Bob Cook, Derek Yuen, Javier Mendez, and Andy Fong. Within the facility, Muay Thai, kickboxing, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, wrestling and boxing classes are taught. Additional programs include conditioning and circuit training with TRX Suspension and Combat Circuit. The AKA is one of the top professional MMA training camps.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patrício Pitbull</span> Brazilian mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter

Patrício Freire, known professionally as Patrício Pitbull, is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in Bellator MMA where he is the current three-time Bellator Featherweight Champion and former Bellator Lightweight Champion. He is the younger brother of lightweight fighter Patricky Pitbull. He is the second-ever simultaneous two-weight champion in Bellator MMA history, and is widely considered to be the best Bellator fighter of all-time. He is also considered to be one of the best ever, pound-for-pound, to have never fought in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)

Patricky Freire, known professionally as Patricky Pitbull, is a Brazilian mixed martial artist currently competing in Bellator's Lightweight division, where he is a former Bellator Lightweight Champion. He is the older brother of featherweight fighter Patrício Pitbull.

Francisco Derek Campos is an American professional mixed martial artist currently competing in the Featherweight division. A professional competitor since 2009, Campos has competed for Bellator MMA, Shark Fights and King of the Cage, and is the former King of the Cage Light Welterweight Champion.

Brent Primus is an American mixed martial artist currently competing for Bellator MMA, where he is the former Bellator Lightweight World Champion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Darrell Horcher</span> American mixed martial artist (born 1987)

Darrell Joseph Horcher is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the Lightweight division. A professional since 2010, he formerly competed for the UFC, Bellator and the Cage Fury Fighting Championships, where he was the Lightweight Champion.

Clay Collard is an American professional mixed martial artist and former Professional boxer. A professional since 2011, he formerly competed for the UFC. He currently competes in the lightweight division of the Professional Fighters League.

Antonio De Carlo McKee Jr. is an American professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the Featherweight and Lightweight division of Bellator MMA where he is the former Bellator Featherweight Champion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Enrique Barzola</span> Peruvian mixed martial artist

Enrique Johnatan Barzola Acosta is a Peruvian mixed martial artist who competes in the Bantamweight division of Professional Fighters League. He was the lightweight winner on The Ultimate Fighter: Latin America 2 and he competed in both Bellator MMA and the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mads Burnell</span> Danish mixed martial artist

Mads Burnell is a Danish mixed martial artist who competes in featherweight division of Bellator MMA. Professional mixed martial artist since 2013, Burnell has also competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and Cage Warriors, where he was a Featherweight champion. He was the European Championship European No-Gi Champion in 2014.

Henry Corrales, is an American mixed martial artist currently competing in the Featherweight division of Bellator MMA. A professional since 2011, he has also competed for King of the Cage, where he is the former Featherweight and Bantamweight Champion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bellator 263</span> Bellator mixed martial arts event in 2021

Bellator 263: Pitbull vs. McKee was a mixed martial arts event produced by Bellator MMA that took place on July 31, 2021, at The Forum in Inglewood, California. The event marked Bellator's first outside of the Mohegan Sun bubble and the first Bellator show on the road.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Umar Nurmagomedov</span> Russian mixed martial artist (born 1996)

Umar Magomednabiyevich Nurmagomedov is a Russian professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the Bantamweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Nurmagomedov has previously competed in the Eagle Fighting Championship (EFC) and Professional Fighters League (PFL). He is the older brother of Bellator champion Usman Nurmagomedov and a cousin of undefeated former UFC Lightweight Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov. As of August 6, 2024, he is #2 in the UFC bantamweight rankings.

Peter Queally is an Irish mixed martial artist currently competing in Bellator's Lightweight division. A professional competitor since 2012, he has also competed for Extreme Fighting Championship, BAMMA, Cage Warriors and Fight Nights Global.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Usman Nurmagomedov</span> Russian mixed martial arts fighter

Usman Magomednabiyevich Nurmagomedov is a Russian professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the Lightweight division of Bellator MMA, where he is the current Bellator Lightweight Champion. Nurmagomedov has previously competed in the UAE Warriors and Eagle Fighting Championship. He is the younger brother of UFC fighter Umar Nurmagomedov and a cousin of former UFC Lightweight Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov.

2023 in Bellator MMA was the fifteenth year in the history of Bellator MMA, a mixed martial arts promotion based in the United States.

2024 in Bellator MMA was the sixteenth year in the history of Bellator MMA, a mixed martial arts promotion based in the United States.

Road to Dubai Champions Series: Nurmagomedov vs. Hughes is an upcoming mixed martial arts event produced by Bellator MMA that will take place on January 25, 2025, at Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

2025 in Bellator MMA is the 17th year in the history of Bellator MMA, a mixed martial arts promotion based in the United States.

References

  1. ↑ "Paul Hughes ("Big News") - MMA Fighter Page - Tapology". Tapology.com. Retrieved 23 October 2024.
  2. ↑ Bolton, Michael (7 November 2022). "'The Irish Takeover Part 2': Paul Hughes On Taking Back The 'McGregor Belt'". Balls.ie. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
  3. ↑ Danny Segura (13 August 2024). "Reports: A.J. McKee vs. Paul Hughes targeted for PFL pay-per-view on Oct. 19". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
  4. ↑ Staff (19 October 2024). "PFL Battle of the Giants: Brace for Impact Results". cagesidepress.com. Retrieved 19 October 2024.
  5. ↑ Farah Hannoun (20 November 2024). "Usman Nurmagomedov vs. Paul Hughes for Bellator title set for Jan. 25 in Dubai". mmajunkie.usatoday.com. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.