Paul Hughes is confident he will eventually face Bellator lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov again, but he wasn`t at all surprised that he wasn`t granted an immediate rematch after their initial contest.
Their January clash ended in an extremely close majority decision loss for Hughes. Although he quickly pushed for a rematch, Nurmagomedov rejected the idea, stating the fighter from Belfast, Ireland, needed to secure at least one more victory before challenging for the title again.
While looking forward to a potential second encounter with Nurmagomedov down the line, Hughes anticipated this response. He now aims to earn that title shot by defeating Bruno Miranda in their scheduled fight this Saturday.
“Look, he’s always going to try to extend that as long as he can because he got very, very close to losing his belt,” Hughes explained. “It didn’t surprise me that much considering I believe I won the fight, as everyone knows. I do believe that he was almost broken in there. Had the head clash not happened… Of course, he’s going to try to delay it.”
Hughes conceded that as the champion, Nurmagomedov has the right to make such calls. However, he remains certain that his opportunity will come soon. He believes another win over Bruno Miranda will leave “absolutely no question that Usman is next,” whenever that fight ultimately happens.
The thought of refusing another fight and simply waiting for the PFL to book him against Nurmagomedov never seriously crossed Hughes`s mind.
Hughes prioritizes staying active, and the fight against Miranda offered the additional bonus of headlining an event in his hometown of Belfast.
“There was never a thought of sitting out that long,” Hughes stated. “As fighters, we don’t get paid unless we fight. I’m young, I’m healthy, I’m ready to go. I’ve been very active. I want to continue to be active… I will continue to get better and fighting and fight camps are where you get better.”
He reiterated his belief that the rematch with Nurmagomedov “is going to happen. We all know it’s going to happen. When that is, I’m not sure, probably end of the year.” He sees the opportunity to fight at home in the interim as fulfilling a major item on his MMA bucket list, in addition to improving his skills and earning income – making it a purely positive situation.
Despite the constant discussion surrounding the Nurmagomedov rematch, Hughes is determined not to fall into the trap of overlooking his immediate opponent.
Even if predictions suggest he should easily defeat Miranda, Hughes understands that underestimating anyone is a dangerous gamble in combat sports.
He cited boxer Ryan Garcia`s recent surprising loss to Rolly Romero – while Garcia seemed focused on a rematch with Devin Haney – as a clear example of this pitfall.
Having witnessed similar situations impact other fighters, Hughes is committed to not looking ahead without fully acknowledging the risk presented by his current opponent.
“Bruno is a very dangerous guy,” Hughes described, emphasizing Miranda`s power and experience against numerous high-level opponents. He is treating the fight with the utmost seriousness, viewing it “essentially” as another world title bout, recognizing that Miranda “has the capabilities” to score a knockout if Hughes slips up.
He stressed the importance of taking the fight “unbelievably serious,” noting the inherent risk in MMA but also the potential reward. Fighting at the SSE Arena in Belfast is an “incredible opportunity” to live out a dream and help bring the PFL to his home crowd.
Fighting at home presents unique dynamics; while Hughes will be the biggest name on the card, the expectations for his performance are also significantly elevated.
Hughes embraces this pressure, knowing that headlining in Belfast is a dream come true and acknowledging the possibility that this might be his only chance to do so.
He confidently stated he is “used to” the pressure that comes with fighting now, declaring, “I’m the best. So I always deal with it well. Pressure creates diamonds.”
He concluded by affirming that he is a competitor who “always shows up” on fight night and has a track record of consistent performance that will not change.
