Paul Hughes, who goes by the moniker "Big News," is an Irish professional mixed martial artist who competes in the lightweight division at 155 lbs in the Professional Fighters League (PFL). Born on March 27, 1997, in Sydney, Australia, he was raised in Lavey, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. Hughes is a 5'9" fighter who fights out of Belfast in Northern Ireland and represents Fight Academy Ireland.
Hughes turned professional in 2017 and started in the best possible fashion, winning via first-round stoppage at BAMMA 28 inside 92 seconds. He continued to forge his presence on the European MMA circuit, winning the Cage Warriors Interim Featherweight Championship in 2021 before unifying that title in 2022. In 2024, Hughes signed with the PFL and scored an impressive second-round technical knockout over Bobby King. In October 2024, he defeated the former Bellator Featherweight Champion A.J. McKee by a split decision. As of January 25, 2025, the Irish fighter maintains an overall professional record of 13-1-0, which includes six knockout wins, three submission wins, and four decision wins.
Paul Hughes' Next Fight
Paul Hughes is scheduled to face Usman Nurmagomedov in his next fight on January 25, 2025, at PFL Champions Series 1. This fight is set to take place at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, UAE. In his last outing, Paul Hughes won a split decision against A. J. McKee. On the other hand, Usman Nurmagomedov remains undefeated in his professional career and extended his unbeaten streak to 18 in his last fight against Alexandr Shabliy.
Paul Hughes Record
Heading into PFL Champions Series 1, Paul Hughes holds an almost unblemished professional MMA record of 13 wins to one loss (13-1-0). Of his victories, six have come via knockouts, three by submitting his opponents, and four by decisions.
| 14 matches | 13 wins | 1 loss |
| By knockout | 6 | 0 |
| By submission | 3 | 0 |
| By decision | 4 | 1 |
Usman Nurmagomedov Record
As of January 23, 2025, Usman Nurmagomedov maintains an undefeated MMA record of 18 wins and one no-contest in 19 fights (18-0-0, 1NC). He has eight wins via knockouts, six wins by submissions, and four wins by decision.
| 19 matches | 18 wins | 0 losses |
| By knockout | 8 | 0 |
| By submission | 6 | 0 |
| By decision | 4 | 0 |
| No contests | 1 | |
FAQs on Paul Hughes' Next Fight
A. Paul Hughes is scheduled to face Usman Nurmagomedov in his upcoming bout on January 25, 2025.
A. Paul Hughes holds a record of 13 wins and 1 loss (13-1-0).
A. Yes, Paul Hughes won his last fight against A. J. McKee via a split decision.
A. Paul Hughes is 27 years old as of January 2025.
A. Paul Hughes is 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) tall. He has a reach of 178 cm.
