After completing the final bout of his Cage Warriors contract with a first-round knockout of Fabiano Silva, 27-year-old Irish MMA fighter Paul Hughes is now a free agent and open to offers from all promotions, aiming to maximize his value and secure his future.
Paul Hughes is now a free agent in the MMA world. At 27, the Irishman has just finished his last fight under his Cage Warriors contract. It was a first-round knockout of Fabiano Silva at Cage Warriors 170.
After a five-year, nine-fight stint with the U.K.-based promotion, Hughes has made a name for himself. He’s now one of the top lightweight prospects globally and is ready to step up to the big leagues.
“That chapter is done,” Hughes declared on The MMA Hour. He’s grateful to Cage Warriors for building his career. He’s had many big nights, won the title years ago against [Morgan] Charriere, unified it. He’s been there, done that.
Hughes is surprised he’s still with Cage Warriors at this point. There was no talk of re-signing. It was time to let him move on.
In his professional MMA career, Hughes has an 11-1 record. He avenged his only loss in 2022 by defeating Jordan Vucenic and unifying the Cage Warriors featherweight titles. He then moved up to lightweight and scored back-to-back first-round knockouts, the most recent against Silva. He plans to continue competing at 155 pounds.
After his October win over Jan Quaeyhaegens, PFL and Bellator offered him a deal. But Cage Warriors owner Graham Boylan didn’t grant the release. Now, however, Hughes is free to explore all opportunities. He does so with a renewed sense of purpose after realizing how fleeting an athlete’s window in MMA can be.
Hughes doesn’t want to leave the game broke and with brain damage. A recent severe injury to his teammate and good friend, Ryan Curtis, has made him reassess things. It’s made him realize how quickly everything can change.
Hughes has given his life to this game. He wants something to show for it. He believes he has the potential to be a superstar in the world of MMA. He wants to capitalize on it and set himself up for the future.
As a blue-chip talent, Hughes will be a coveted name in free agency. He refuses to undermine his own worth for the fame and notoriety that comes with competing in the UFC.
“Honestly, I’m open to everything,” Hughes said. He’s not chasing fame or clout. He just turned 27 and is no longer the 21-, 22-year-old kid dreaming of owning the UFC.
Now, his number one goal is to be the best fighter on the planet. He believes he can do that anywhere. But he needs to get his value.
If Hughes ends up in the UFC, there’s a familiar name he wouldn’t mind fighting. That’s Paddy Pimblett, a Liverpool native who Hughes crossed paths with during their Cage Warriors days. Hughes isn’t Pimblett’s biggest fan.
“He’s a shitebag,” Hughes said. He’s always had a bad attitude, and Hughes has never seen eye-to-eye with him. Hughes believes his fights in the UFC have been poor. He’s confident he could beat him with one hand. That’s a fight he’d be open to.