History has proven that the Irish Cage Warriors champion is more than capable of competing in the UFC.
Of course, while Conor McGregor entered the UFC in 2013 as a two-division Cage Warriors world champion and was repeating that feat in his new home within three years, Ian Machado-Galley spent months preparing. After that, he made his UFC debut in November 2021. The European promotion's welterweight strap and currently could be a win or two away from a shot at the sport's most prestigious 170-pound title.
And you can also prepare to add another name to that list: Paul 'Big News' Hughes.
The Irishman, like McGregor, is a former Cage Warriors featherweight champion who earlier this month scored his 11th career win (11-1 overall) in a lightweight bout against the experienced Fabiano Silva, and is now a ground-and-pound champion. stopped the Brazilian veteran with a series of elbows. Before the end of the first round of the RDS in Dublin.
Hughes, who is currently a free agent, has been heavily linked with a move to the UFC and is considered by many to be one of the best 155-pound fighters not currently signed to a major promotion. .
But if that call comes, Hughes said he would be keeping an eye on another former Cage Warriors alumnus, Paddy Pimblett, whom he previously called an “absolute piece of shit” on social media.
“I'm not really into beefs or anything like that. I'll only do it if it's real, not fake,” Hughes told Ariel Helwani on Monday's edition of The MMA Hour. mixed martial arts martial arts.
“Being around him during his soon-to-be Cage Warriors days, I always think his attitude stinks. To be honest, I've never looked him in the eye. What he's doing, the UFC. I think his match there was pretty bad and like I said in the comments I would beat him with one hand and I truly believe he's an asshole.
“This is definitely the fight I ultimately want and I’m willing to take.”
The 29-year-old Pimblett picked up his fifth UFC win in December when El Cucuy outlasted Tony Ferguson in five rounds, snapping a seven-fight losing streak inside the UFC cage. Speaking recently, Pimblett said he would like to face a higher-ranked fighter in his next fight, and Hughes will have to wait and add a few wins to his record before a fight with the Liverpool man materializes. This means that there is a high possibility.
