Paul Hughes on PFL vs. UFC: ‘The PFL Made A Much Better Offer’

Paul Hughes makes his Bellator debut next month in Dublin

Welcome to The Weekly Takedown, Sports Illustrated’s in-depth look at MMA. Every week, this column offers insight and information on the most noteworthy stories in the fight world.

Paul Hughes: “I want three more fights this year”

Paul Hughes signed with the PFL instead of the UFC for a very specific reason.

He accepted the best offer.

“The PFL made a much better offer,” said Hughes. “It would have been harder if I hadn’t received their offer six months ago. It gave me the opportunity to do a lot of thinking and a lot of research.

“Financially, you want to be able to make a living in this game. I haven't been able to make much money so far, even with the world titles and the big nights that I've had. So it was important financially to be compensated for the work I'm doing, but there were other factors, too. I truly believe in the PFL’s vision. I would not have signed if that weren’t the case.”

Another angle… pic.twitter.com/OWLYYQIpNO

— Paul Hughes MMA (@paulhughesmma) October 17, 2023

The 27-year-old Hughes, who hails from Northern Ireland, wrapped up his Cage Warriors run last month with an emphatic first-round finish against Fabiano Silva. An aggressive, forward-moving fighter that relishes applying pressure, Hughes (11-1) offers endless potential for the PFL as the organization seeks its next breakout star.

Hughes makes his debut for PFL-owned Bellator next month, fighting Bobby King in a lightweight bout at the Bellator Champions Series event in Dublin.

“I want three more fights this year,” said Hughes. “First is Dublin. I want to fight at the end-of-year PFL million-dollar tournament night, and I want one more in between. I want to end this year 4-0, and that will put me going into 2025 in a position to go 4-0 again and win that PFL tournament.”

While Hughes’ plan is to compete in next year’s PFL season, that will not preclude him from challenging for the Bellator lightweight championship. Current champ Usman Nurmagomedov is scheduled to make his next title defense against Alexander Shabliy–a bout that was scheduled for this month before an injury prevented Nurmagomedov from competing–and Hughes is hungry to face the winner.

“I don’t see why the hell I wouldn’t get a title shot after Dublin,“ said Hughes. “I want every single belt out there. And I’m disappointed that [Nurmagomedov] fight was called off. I definitely would like to see the winner.”

DONE DEAL 💰

I have given every inch of my being to this game, for opportunities like this.

This deal is going to change my life.

ITS MY TIME https://t.co/7YHlCTq5um

— Paul Hughes MMA (@paulhughesmma) April 20, 2024

A world champion since he was 24, Hughes has built a loyal following because of his style. Though he made his professional debut seven years ago, he is an unknown commodity in the United States, where he will be tested by a whole new slate of opponents.

“I anticipate my fights to be very, very exciting,” said Hughes. “I want people going mental. So everything I was doing in Cage Warriors is going to be multiplied by ten in the PFL.”

From gold in Bellator to tournament victories in the PFL, Hughes is full of optimism about his future.

“The tournament format is exciting,” said Hughes. “It’s the ultimate form of competition–four fights in eight-to-ten months against some of the best athletes in the world. That’s why I joined, and I want to win that million-dollar tournament in 2025.

“I’m looking forward to starting the next chapter in my career.”

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Alexandre Pantoja showed championship mettle at UFC 301

In some alternate timeline, Steve Erceg is proudly showing off his newly won UFC flyweight title.

That is not the case, however, in this reality. Erceg lost to Alexandre Pantoja this past Saturday at UFC 301, falling short to a savvy champion who knew exactly how to turn defeat into victory.

Alexandre Pantoja was victorious at UFC 301 / Zuffa LLC

The fight was even through the first four rounds. Despite his relatively anonymous past, Erceg matched everything Pantoja threw at him, and he was only five good minutes away from winning the title.

Erceg needed to continue attacking Pantoja on the feet in the fifth round, a strategy that was working–until he inexplicably went for a takedown. Pantoja reversed the takedown, maintaining control to cement the victory. It was a real-time example of a champion executing at the precise moment. It is a moment that will haunt Erceg, while it will serve as a career highlight for Pantoja.

Despite the unanimous decision final, this bout was incredibly close. Yet the difference was Pantoja’s veteran acumen, doing exactly what he needed to win to retain his title.