Europe
MMA fighter of the week: Paul Hughes is looking to win his second major title
Paul Hughes is one of the best European MMA fighters. Photo via Cage Warriors (Twitter)
European MMA is booming! In this weekly series, Frontkick.online puts the spotlight on European MMA fighters who deserve international recognition!
There’s no doubt that Ireland’s Paul Hughes (13-1) is one of the hottest European MMA fighters right now.
After winning the Clan Wars amateur featherweight championship twice, Paul Hughes made his professional debut in 2017 and took the step up to the big stage of Cage Warriors in his third pro fight.
After going 8-1 in Cage Warriors, and winning the featherweight title in the rematch against rival Jordan Vucenic in 2022, Hughes signed with PFL/Bellator and so far pulled off two wins in 2024.
On January 25 he will take on one of Europe’s, if not the world’s, most skilled lightweights in Usman Nurmagomedov (18-0) in a Bellator Champions Series title fight. If he wins the fight against the undefeated wrestler, Hughes will establish himself as one of the absolute top lightweights on the European continent!
This is Paul Hughes
- Age: 27
- Weight class: Lightweight
- Record: 13-1
- Promotion: PFL/Bellator
- Notable wins: Jordan Vucenic, James Hendin, Morgan Charriere
Want to read more about European MMA fighters?
- MMA is still illegal! What’s it like to be a pro MMA fighter in Norway?
- Samuel Bark is closing in on 100 fights: “Just a couple more and I’ll be there!”
