Fighting before a sold-out crowd at Belfast`s renowned SSE Arena, Paul Hughes made a triumphant return home, delivering a brutal first-round knockout victory against Bruno Miranda. The popular Irish fighter, considered a major PFL talent from the region, was rebounding from his initial defeat under the PFL banner in January. That loss was a very close decision to Usman Nurmagomedov, a fight where many fans immediately called for a rematch.
His opponent was Bruno Miranda, a seasoned Brazilian fighter who had recently defeated Patricky Pitbull in the 2024 Global season. Hughes held a considerable size advantage over Miranda and entered the bout as a strong favorite.
To ensure another shot at Nurmagomedov, Paul Hughes understood the necessity of a dominant performance during his homecoming fight in Belfast on Saturday night. Although Nurmagomedov wasn`t present cageside, he was undoubtedly watching the event from his training location.
Miranda`s walkout was met with loud boos, a stark contrast to the ecstatic welcome Hughes received. The atmosphere was further heightened when Ed Sheeran-signed artist Foy Vance performed a rendition of `Grace` before the Derry native made his anticipated entrance.
The fight itself lasted only seconds. Hughes landed a powerful left hand that dropped Miranda, sending the home crowd into a frenzy. Following the knockdown, Hughes delivered swift ground and pound before the referee intervened to stop the fight. Immediately after the win, Hughes called out Nurmagomedov, sending a clear message that the rematch he sought was inevitable, especially after accusations that Nurmagomedov had tried to delay it.
PFL Belfast Packs the SSE Arena
While the event might not have received significant attention in the United States, partly due to broadcasting issues, it was a massive commercial success locally. Over 7,000 spectators filled the SSE Arena (formerly the Odyssey), selling out the venue which has a history of hosting major combat sports events featuring fighters like Carl Frampton, Michael Conlan, and Gegard Mousasi.
Paul Hughes remains incredibly popular with Irish fans, having previously drawn a large crowd to the 3Arena for his Bellator debut where he defeated Bobby King. His recent fights include appearances on the undercard of Francis Ngannou`s comeback in Riyadh and headlining the largest MMA event held in Dubai to date.
Despite the enthusiastic crowd, local fighters on the undercard didn`t have a clean sweep of victories, with only Corey McLaughlin and Eoin Sheridan securing wins. However, fellow fighter Connor Hughes, who shares Paul`s surname, delivered a spectacular knockout that is being considered a candidate for knockout of the year against Sebastien Di Franco.
