{"id":16170,"date":"2025-07-23T13:41:23","date_gmt":"2025-07-23T10:41:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/7bet.co.uk\/blog\/?p=16170"},"modified":"2026-01-21T10:55:09","modified_gmt":"2026-01-21T07:55:09","slug":"paul-hughes-mma-fighter-profile","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/7bet.co.uk\/blog\/paul-hughes-mma-fighter-profile\/","title":{"rendered":"Paul Hughes &#8211; MMA Fighter Profile"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Known by his nickname \u2018Big News\u2019, Paul Hughes is a <\/span><b>rising MMA star,<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> captivating the attention of fighting fans in the UK and across the world. Although he was born in Sydney, on March 27, 1997, Paul Hughes fights out of Northern Ireland.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He\u2019s a <\/span><b>former Cage Warriors Featherweight Champion<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, currently competing in the Lightweight division of PFL. Standing at 5\u20199\u2033 (175\u202fcm) with a 70\u2033 reach, \u2018Big News\u2019 fights from an orthodox stance. His knockout win against Bruno Miranda in PFL Europe 1 earned him a title rematch opportunity against Usman Nurmagomedov (Khabib\u2019s cousin). Let\u2019s get to know Paul Hughes better!<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Biography<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Paul \u2018Big News\u2019 Hughes grew up in Lavey County, Londonderry, Northern Ireland. Currently 28 years old, he\u2019s in his prime, being<\/span><b> one of the top lightweights in PFL as of 2025<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">From an early age, Hughes showed an affinity towards sports. He played Gaelic football and hurling, but fell in love with martial arts not long after. Improving at Fight Academy Ireland, he was a very successful young fighter, having the blessing of turning professional at age 19 in 2017. <\/span><b>His debut went well<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> as \u2018Big News\u2019 secured a stoppage victory in under 2 minutes (92 seconds!) at BAMMA 28.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">His first big success came in the Cage Warriors competition, where he had an 8-1 record. After claiming a unified title there, he signed with PFL in 2024 and is now competing there. As of today, he\u2019s one of the top strikers in his division and arguably the #1 contender for the Lightweight championship.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Professional MMA Career<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hughes\u2019 pro career started with a bang. In 2017, at only 19, he had his start at BAMMA 28 in Belfast. With the first win coming in 92 seconds, \u2018Big News\u2019 showed no sign of stopping and built an undefeated streak on the regional circuit. By 2019, he had amassed a 6-0 perfect record. In addition, <\/span><b>all of his first six wins came by stoppage<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, meaning Hughes was dominating. During this time, he became a champion in Cage Conflict\u2019s (Northern Ireland promotion) feather and lightweight divisions.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After this came Hughes\u2019 first pro defeat via split decision. In Cage Warriors 119 on December 12, 2020, the Irishman lost to Jordan Vucenic. It\u2019s one of the very few such occasions. As of writing this review, \u2018Big News\u2019 has a <\/span><b>near-perfect 14-2 record<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in professional MMA.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hughes later avenged his first loss and outworked Vucenic in emphatic fashion to unify the Cage Warriors featherweight title at Cage Warriors 128. By doing so, he became <\/span><b>the first Irish fighter since Conor McGregor<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to hold this title.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After 3 successful title defences, Paul Hughes <\/span><b>left Cage Warriors and joined the Professional Fighters League (PFL)<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> which has begun collaboration with Bellator in 2024. Since then, the Irish pro fighter has done 4 fights and won 3 of them.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He failed to capture the Bellator Lightweight World Championship, <\/span><b>succumbing to the unbeaten Usman Nurmagomedov in January of 2025<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> via majority decision. Despite the setback, the Northern Irish fighter bounced back with a jaw-dropping TKO victory over Bruno Miranda in just 42 seconds!<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All in all, Hughes is an aspiring MMA fighter who\u2019s one of the best in his weight class outside of the UFC. He\u2019s a top contender for the Bellator championship belts in his weight category.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Paul Hughes \u2013 Fight Record Summary<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Below, you can find a table that consists of all Paul Hughes&#8217; professional MMA fights. As of July 24, \u2018Big News\u2019 has 14 wins and 2 losses.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<table>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\"><strong>Fighter<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\"><strong>Event<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\"><strong>Result<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\"><strong>Method<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"color: #ffffff;\"><strong>Date<\/strong><\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><b>Bruno Miranda<\/b><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">PFL Europe 1 (Belfast)<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Win<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">TKO (strikes)<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">May 10, 2025<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Usman Nurmagomedov<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">PFL Champions Series 1<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Loss<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Decision (majority)<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">January 25, 2025<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A.J. McKee<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">PFL Super Fights: Battle of the Giants<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Win<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Decision (split)<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">October 19, 2024<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bobby King<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bellator Champions Series 3<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Win<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">TKO (punches and elbows)<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">June 22, 2024<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fabiano Silva<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cage Warriors 170<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Win<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">TKO (knee and elbows)<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">April 6, 2024<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jan Quaeyhaegens<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cage Warriors 161<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Win<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">KO (punches)<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">October 14, 2023<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jordan Vucenic<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cage Warriors 145<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Win<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Decision (unanimous)<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">November 4, 2022<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Morgan Charri\u00e8re<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cage Warriors 128<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Win<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Decision (majority)<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">October 1, 2021<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">James Hendin<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cage Warriors 120<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Win<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Decision (unanimous)<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">March 18, 2021<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jordan Vucenic<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cage Warriors 119<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Loss<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Decision (split)<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">December 12, 2020<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Aidan Stephen<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cage Warriors 116<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Win<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Submission (rear-naked choke)<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">August 11, 2020<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Youri Panada<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cage Warriors 112<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Win<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">KO (head kick)<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">March 7, 2020<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kalifa Seydi<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cage Conflict 2<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Win<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Submission (rear-naked choke)<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">October 26, 2019<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mateusz Makarowski<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cage Warriors: Unplugged 2<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Win<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Submission (rear-naked choke)<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">September 6, 2019<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Stephen O\u2019Neill<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cage Conflict 1<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Win<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">TKO (punches)<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">March 9, 2019<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Adam Gustab<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">BAMMA 28<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Win<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">TKO (punches)<\/span><\/td>\n<td><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">February 24,\u00a02017<\/span><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here\u2019s a breakdown of his performances:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">7 wins by KO or TKO (50 %)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">3 wins by submission (21 %)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">4 wins by decision (29 %)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All losses came via judges\u2019 decision<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Future Prospects<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Despite the setback of losing to Usman Nurmagomedov, <\/span><b>Hughes rebounded with authority<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, dominating and knocking out Bruno Miranda in just 42 seconds. \u2018Big News\u2019 did so in just 42 seconds and in front of his home crowd in the main event of PFL Europe 1 (Belfast, May 2025).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As of right now, Hughes is <\/span><b>primed for a title rematch against Nurmagomedov<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> and called out the champion in his post-fight interview. This really makes sense for both fighters and the promoters, so Hughes v Nurmagomedov 2 should headline a future PFL\/Bellator event.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As for his long-term ambition, the fighter has made it clear he intends to join UFC and become a champion on the biggest stage. After unifying the Cage Warriors title in 2022, he famously shouted <\/span><b>\u201cUFC, I\u2019m Coming!\u201d<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> into a camera, so a chance could be lurking just around the corner. Currently 28 years of age, \u2018Big News\u2019 is talented enough to get a contract from Dana White.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Considered one of the top European prospects in MMA, Hughes could become <\/span><b>the next best Irish fighter<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to grace the famous octagon since \u2018Notorious\u2019 Conor McGregor.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Paul Hughes\u2019s Fighting Style and Strengths<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Let\u2019s examine Paul Hughes&#8217; fighting style, his strengths, and areas for improvement.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Fighting Style<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Well-Rounded<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Slightly leaning towards striking<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Skilled in various disciplines<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Explosive (50% KO\/TKO ratio &#8211; great for a lightweight)<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">During his pro MMA career, Hughes has shown <\/span><b>amazing versatility<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, knocking out Youri Panada with a head kick and dispatching a handful of other adversaries with punches, elbows or even submissions. Most notable of the latter is his rear-naked choke. All in all, his 16 pro fights until now display that \u2018Big News\u2019 is a massive threat in every situation.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Strengths<\/h3>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Competitive mentality<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Relentless work ethic<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Confidence<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Versatility<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you get praise from another fighter\u2019s coaching staff, you\u2019re doing good. This is exactly what happened for Paul Hughes, who was praised by Javier Mendez, the coach of his main foe, Nurmagomedov. The trainer admitted that while Hughes had some technical gaps, he has a <\/span><b><i>champion\u2019s attitude<\/i><\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Those close to him and media reps see that the Irish fighter <\/span><b>approaches his fights with supreme confidence and composure<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. This is why he has bounced back after both losses and done so in big ways. Even high-pressure championship rounds don\u2019t seem to bother \u2018Big News\u2019 too much.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3>Areas for Improvement<\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No fighter is perfect, and Paul Hughes, too, has some areas for improvement.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Wrestling &amp; grappling defence are not on par with his amazing striking abilities (although he has never been submitted)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He struggles to control the fight in specific scenarios (e.g. vs Vucenic or Nurmagomedov), leading to losses by decision<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To sum up, there are only a few small areas for improvement. Other than that, Paul Hughes is a <\/span><b>championship-calibre fighter, ready to ascend to the UFC<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Training &amp; Team<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Paul \u2018Big News\u2019 Hughes trains out of <\/span><b>FAI \u2013 Fight Academy Ireland<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in Belfast. It\u2019s one of the A-list MMA gyms in Northern Ireland and all UK. His head <\/span><b>coach is Liam Shannon<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, with whom Hughes trains daily.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As reports and interviews suggest, the fighter <\/span><b>focuses on consistent hard work in the gym<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> with occasional cross-trains or specific fight camps. Insiders tell that even after reaching success or his biggest loss to Nurmagomedov, Hughes hasn\u2019t made any drastic changes to his training camp. The fighter doubled down on the formula that brought him this far.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2>Titles &amp; Achievements<\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Here are all of the most notable titles and achievements that Paul Hughes has amassed during his career<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Cage Warriors Featherweight Champion<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (Unified World Champion, 145 lbs) \u2013 One time (2022). <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Note: Hughes became the first Irishman since Conor McGregor to hold this title<\/span><\/i><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Cage Warriors Interim Featherweight Champion<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2013 One time (2021)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Cage Conflict Featherweight Champion<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2013 One time (2019)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Cage Conflict Lightweight Champion<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2013 One time (2019)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><b>Clan Wars Amateur Featherweight Champion<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> \u2013 Two times. Note: <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hughes won the Clan Wars amateur title twice before turning pro<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong><em>Betting is only available to participants above 18 years. Please bet responsibly. BeGambleAware.org<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Known by his nickname \u2018Big News\u2019, Paul Hughes is a rising MMA star, captivating the attention of fighting fans in<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":16171,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[496],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16170","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-ufc"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Paul Hughes \u2013 MMA Fighter Profile, Record &amp; Highlights | 7bet<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Get to know \u2018Big News\u2019 \u2013 Paul Hughes, the MMA fighter. 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