Day Of Reckoning
D-day is almost upon us for the PFL’s gala PPV event in Saudi Arabia. The bulk of the headlines will no doubt focus on the long-awaited return of former UFC Heavyweight Champion Francis Ngannou after his detour into the world of professional boxing, but the lineup contains many more interesting fights worth keeping an eye on, including an intriguing lightweight clash between former Bellator featherweight champion AJ McKee and Irish prospect Paul Hughes.
The pair will meet in the main card opener on Oct. 19 in a match up that took many fans by surprise. Hughes (12-1), a former Cage Warriors Featherweight Champion, recently signed with the PFL after becoming a free agent earlier this year. Stepping into the SmartCage against the far more experienced McKee (22-1) may look like a daunting task, but “Big News” is brimming with confidence heading into fight week and has promised to make a statement.
“You know there’s so much on the line for me” he said while speaking on his YouTube channel, “and there’s so much to gain for me. This is such a huge fight. I’ve gave every ounce of my being to this game you know, absolutely every ounce of my being, but trust me, people are going to see, whenever we get in there…Like I genuinely think that this is how it’s going to go down with AJ, I think I’m gonna make it look easy and I think I’m gonna have him out of there within two rounds. And then people will go ‘Ok, this kid is who he says he is”.
A New Chapter
Hughes enjoyed a tremendous run during his 4 1/2 years with Cage Warriors, not only winning the 145-lb. title but also picking up invaluable experience against high-level opposition such as current UFC fighters Morgan Charriere and Jordan Vucenic. Upon entering free agency he was linked with every major promotion in the world including the UFC, but when I spoke with him recently at a Bellator event in London, he assured me that he believes getting this opportunity to fight AJ McKee validates his decision to sign with the PFL.
“This is what I came (here for)” he told me. “When I signed to the PFL I knew this was going to be the correct decision. You know, when I came here I said, ‘I want to fight the best guys, I want to put on the most entertaining fights, and I want to get paid’, and that’s exactly what’s happening. Being given this opportunity against AJ is just an opportunity for me to prove exactly what I’ve been saying, and what I’ve been calling for. I’ve been saying for about twelve months that I’m one of the best on the planet, now I get the chance to prove it against one of the best on the planet”.
Golden Opportunity
The match up with McKee certainly excites the Irishman, but the opportunity to be a part of the “Battle of the Giants” event in Riyadh is also something he is relishing.
”It’s a huge event” says Hughes. “And when I signed here with PFL I knew that they had big events planned. PFL are going to do some incredible shows, this is going to be their first big, big show, and I knew when I was coming here that a fighter like myself, who is always entertaining, that can talk, that is willing to fight the best guys is going to be on these cards in high positions and that’s where I am.
“So everything that I expected to happen with this signing has now happened plus more, so I’m absolutely over the moon. To do it on this big stage (an Ngannou pay-per-view) is massive, you know? Other than the main and co-main events, I’m sure the PFL are going to put on incredible fights but I can’t see any other fight (on the card) being as entertaining as this one, because on paper you’ve got what looks like there’s a huge step up (for me).
Proving The Doubters Wrong
Hughes is aware that many fans see this fight as perhaps coming a little too early in his career. McKee, after all, has fought his entire professional career in the Bellator cage and holds a massive advantage in experience over his opponent. Hughes insists that he’s looking forward to proving the doubters wrong.
“I’m keeping all the receipts” he says. “I’m seeing social media, I’m seeing ‘That is way too big a step up for Hughes’, but it ain’t. Maybe on paper, yeah you’ve got (me at) 12-1 coming in against (McKee) at 22-1, but look, I know my skill level, I’ve mixed it up with some of the best in the world. I wouldn’t be calling myself the best in the world and calling out these best fighters (in the PFL) if I didn’t think I was close to them. I think I’m better than these guys and now I get the chance to prove it”.
