Paul Hughes to Headline PFL Event in Belfast
The fighter Paul Hughes will compete in his homeland for the second time in less than a year, as the PFL has scheduled the Irish lightweight for another main event in Belfast. Hughes (14-3) will headline the PFL Belfast event on April 16 against Jay Jay Wilson from New Zealand.Hughes, who lives and trains in Belfast, challenged the defending PFL champion, Usman Nurmagomedov, twice in 2023, falling short in January and October by unanimous decision. Between those two appearances, Hughes headlined an event at the SSE Arena against Bruno Miranda, where he achieved an impressive knockout in 42 seconds for the local fans. Wilson (11-2) will seek the most important victory of his MMA career. He has extensive experience, with a 9-2 record in Bellator MMA since 2018. He stumbled in the title contention in his last appearance, losing by unanimous decision to the number 3 lightweight contender of the PFL, Archie Colgan. He has recorded finishes in eight of his 11 career victories.I’m very excited about this event. I met with Paul a couple of times and we talked about taking it to another city, but he said that if he could fight in Belfast again, that would be his dream. I’m glad we were able to make it happen. This lightweight division is deep for us. Hughes is looking to get back on track, and Jay Jay will have the opportunity to spoil the party in Paul’s backyard. I think that makes it a super fun fight.
John Martin, CEO of PFL
