Irish MMA star Paul Hughes is set to headline PFL Europe’s first card of the year against Bruno Miranda on May 10, with Miranda eager to challenge Hughes after witnessing his growth from an amateur fighter during their time training together in Thailand.
Irish star Paul Hughes is set to headline PFL Europe’s first card of the year on May 10. He’ll face Bruno Miranda, who watched Hughes in action before he turned pro.
Hughes became a star as a Cage Warriors champion. He later joined Bellator, defeating AJ McKee Jr., but narrowly lost to Usman Nurmagomedov in a close decision under the PFL banner. Miranda, a veteran of 22 MMA bouts and numerous kickboxing matches, witnessed Hughes’ rise. Interestingly, they once trained together in Thailand.
Miranda spent over a decade in Phuket and recalls seeing Hughes train there in 2016. Back then, Hughes was just an amateur.
“I remember training with him at Tiger,” Miranda told MMA Fighting. “He was quite young. Fighting him now is an honor. I’ve seen his growth, and it’s exciting to face him in Ireland, a fight nation like Brazil.”
After Hughes’ controversial loss to Nurmagomedov, his hype soared. Fans demanded a rematch. Miranda sees this as “a huge opportunity,” though he’s unsure if an upset will earn him a title shot. However, it will certainly change his standing in the MMA community.
“He’s had a solid career,” Miranda said. “I think he won his last fight, but I’m here to break the odds. It’s an honor, and I respect him and the Irish nation. I’m bringing the fire to get the victory.”
“I’ll be the thorn in his side,” Miranda continued. “I’m not looking past this fight. A title shot could be possible, but I’m focused on beating him. Anything PFL offers after is a bonus.”
Miranda recently defeated former Bellator lightweight champion Patricky Pitbull, rebounding from losses to PFL champion Olivier Aubin-Mercier and ex-Bellator titleholder Brent Primus. He plans to test Hughes’ striking at the SSE Arena in Belfast.
“A fight is a fight,” Miranda said. “Every match-up is unique. I love fighters who put pressure, and I’m aggressive. I want to see how he handles a real striker.”