Opinion: Why Paul Hughes is Primed to Become the New Face of Irish MMA

Editor’s note: The views and opinions expressed below are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Sherdog.com, its affiliates and sponsors or its parent company, Evolve Media.

* * *
What’s the first name to come to mind when you think of Irish MMA? I’m willing to bet the clothes on my back that you instantly thought of the “Notorious” one. For most of his storied career, Conor McGregor has been the face of Irish MMA, let alone the entire sport. He’s explosive and brash, but lately, he has been extraordinarily controversial and out of control. Irish fans deserve a fighter who will represent them with competence inside the cage and class outside of it. I think I know a guy.

He may have been born in Sydney, but Paul Hughes carries the Irish fighting pride every time he steps in the cage. Blessed with dynamite hands and skills on the mic, Hughes has the goods to usurp McGregor as the new face of Irish MMA. However, he needs to overcome the most difficult challenge of his career to pull it off. Hughes will look to accomplish the seemingly impossible when he challenges the undefeated Usman Nurmagomedov in the first Professional Fighters League headliner of 2025 on Jan. 25 at Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Hughes enters the PFL Champions Series “Road to Dubai” event as a heavy underdog, but it wouldn’t be the first time the Irish upstart shocked the world.

Like McGregor, Hughes exploded onto the scene thanks to a dominant run in Cage Warriors Fighting Championship. He proved he had a solid foundation on the ground with a first-round rear-naked choke submission in his Cage Warriors debut, but his striking made him the new face of the organization. After claiming the featherweight and lightweight titles, Hughes cemented himself as the most promising prospect not under contract with a major promotion. I must admit that I haven’t become a believer until recently.

When Hughes signed with PFL in May, his ability to bring a Belfast crowd out in full force demonstrated his ability to sell tickets, but a win over Bobby King didn’t blow me away. When it was announced that the PFL would match him against former Bellator MMA featherweight champion A.J. McKee in his next fight, I thought he was being sent to the wolves.

McKee is one of the most skilled fighters in the world, and Hughes sometimes made him look amateurish. His knees were sharpened to a point, and he showed no intimidation on the mat. When the fight got close, he didn’t panic and displayed the class necessary to edge out a clear decision win. I couldn’t believe how composed the 27-year-old looked in the biggest fight of his career. I figured the PFL needed to bring him along slowly, but Hughes’ win over McKee proved he could use a step up.

Hughes’ ascension is eerily similar to his fighting role model. Like Hughes, McGregor also claimed back-to-back Cage Warrior titles before his historic rise through the Ultimate Fighting Championship. It wasn’t until McGregor brutally knocked out the unstoppable Jose Aldo in 13 seconds that the world truly bought into the hype. Millions of dollars later, McGregor has become the most famous mixed martial artist of all-time, but at 36, the former two-division champion is on an all-time career decline.

McGregor hasn’t won a fight in five years. He spends a great deal of time partying and feuding with active fighters while teasing the fans over a return that likely will never come. No blow that McGregor has taken in the cage could compare to the blows the legal system has thrown his way. From punching a man at a bar in Ireland to being sued for sexual assault, McGregor can’t seem to keep himself out of trouble. It’s sad to see a man who’s accomplished so much in life self-destruct and disappoint his fans consistently. It’s time for McGregor to take a step back and become a voice of caution for another promising Irish star.

McGregor is the most famous man in most rooms he frequents, but Hughes isn’t worried about being upstaged. The challenger invited McGregor to help corner him for his bout against Nurmagomedov, which would add another level of suspense for fight fans. The Russian is notably trained by his cousin, former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov—McGregor’s archrival. McGregor and Nurmagomedov’s historic UFC 229 showdown was the highest-selling MMA pay-per-view ever while the bout lives in infamy due to its post-fight brawl. McGregor and Nurmagomedov haven’t shared the cage since, but to reunite as rival trainers would be pure cinema.

Nurmagomedov’s victory over McGregor is one of Irish MMA’s worst hours. Hughes could enact his revenge by becoming the first man to defeat Nurmagomedov’s unbeaten cousin. Irish fans need a new hero, and if Hughes rises to the occasion with a legend in his corner, we’ll see the birth of the nation’s next superstar.