Hughes scored a convincing victory in his last match with Cage Warriors last Saturday, knocking out Fabiano Silva in the first round.
The bout, which took place at Cage Warriors 170 in Dublin, was the culmination of Hughes' five years and nine fights with the organization.
The 27-year-old is considered one of the top lightweights on the planet and is sure to attract interest from the biggest MMA brands.
“I've done a lot with the Cage Warriors and they built my career,” Hughes told The MMA Hour.
“I had a lot of great nights. I won the title years ago. [Morgan] Charrière unified. I've been there and it was many years ago. And the fact that I'm still here at this point probably surprises everyone, including myself and the Cage Warriors.
“No, there was nothing about re-contracting.” [with Cage Warriors]. It was just a matter of letting this guy move on. ”
Hughes was offered the opportunity to fight under the PFL and Bellator banners after his win over Jan Quayhagens last October, but the Cage Warriors were reluctant to let him go.
Now a free agent, Hughes is ready to pursue any opportunities that may come his way. Many expect the UFC to make him one of those opportunities.
“Honestly, I'm open to everything,” Hughes added. “Like I said, I had to dig deep and ask myself, do I want fame? Is it just clout? Is it because I'm in the UFC? Is that what you're saying?
“Honestly, I don't care about it at all. I just turned 27 last week. I would like to say that it is.
“I'm at a point in my career where I've had a lot of great nights and accomplished a lot of big things. It's not just about saying, 'Oh, I'm going to fight in the UFC.'
“The most important thing for me right now is [is] Be the best fighter on the planet. There's nothing that says it can't be done. You can do that anywhere. I can still be the best fighter on the planet. But I need to get what I'm worth. ”
If Hughes moves to the UFC, he will join former Cage Warriors Paddy Pimblett.
When asked about “Paddy the Buddy,” Hughes said: He's a total piece of shit. He's been with the Cage Warriors.
“To be honest, I don't really like beef or anything like that. I only do it if it's legal, and it's not without modification. But I just don't like the fact that he was in the Cage Warriors era. I think he always had the same stinky attitude when I was around him.
“Honestly, I've never really looked him in the eye. And I think what he's doing, his fights in the UFC, are very, very bad.” think.
“As I said earlier, I truly believe in it.” [on Instagram], that he would defeat him with one hand. And he is an ***ebag.So [that’s] Absolutely, that's what I ultimately want or an open fight. ”
