Paul Hughes Set for Epic Homecoming in Belfast

10 March 2025

Summary

Paul Hughes admits all his dreams will come true on May 10. The man affectionately known as 'Big News' is set to make the headlines once again.

Article

Paul Hughes admits all his dreams will come true on May 10. The man affectionately known as 'Big News' is set to make the headlines once again. It has been confirmed that Hughes will be main event in Belfast, with the SSE Arena set to host his next fight. It will see the Professional Fighters League (PFL) roll into the capital for a huge night of MMA action. Hughes (13-2) excelled in January when narrowly losing out to Usman Nurmagomedov for the Bellator World lightweight title. The 27-year-old was left heartbroken after taking the champion five rounds in Dubai.

After dusting himself down, Hughes is now ready to make another statement in what will be a huge homecoming show. He will fulfill a lifelong dream to main event at The SSE Arena, Belfast’s iconic venue, and has promised his fans a spectacle. The Lavey native said: “All my career I’ve said I will main event the SSE Arena, and we’ve made my dream into a reality. Belfast, I’m coming to put on a show for my people, and I will show you how much your support means to me. 'It’s time to get to work.” A former Cage Warriors featherweight champion before moving up to lightweight, Hughes joined the PFL last year and earned quick wins against Bobby King and AJ McKee before stepping up to contest the Bellator title against Nurmagomedov in a critically acclaimed ‘Fight of the Year’ contender.

PFL Chief Executive Officer Pete Murray added: “Belfast, the PFL is coming to The SSE Arena with some Big News. For our first PFL Europe event of 2025, we knew we had to reward the Fighting Irish fandom with a Paul Hughes homecoming. The vocal support for Paul meant this was an easy decision, and I can’t wait to feel the atmosphere of The SSE Arena during the main event. But we plan to stack the card with our PFL Europe Tournament fighters, and a host of athletes who are prepared to lay it all on the line and put on a show. Belfast, get your tickets, we have a feeling this event will go down in history.” Tickets for PFL Europe Belfast go on sale this Wednesday, March 12 at 10 am GMT via ticketmaster.ie, with an exclusive venue pre-sale available from 10 am today (Monday). Sign up to our free sports newsletter to get the latest headlines to your inbox