BELFAST — In a thrilling display of skill and determination, Paul Hughes made a resounding case for a rematch against PFL/Bellator lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov on Saturday night, delivering a stunning 42-second knockout of Bruno Miranda in front of a passionate hometown crowd at the SSE Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
As Hughes stepped into the cage, the electric atmosphere erupted with cheers, propelling him forward. He seized the defining moment of the fight when he intercepted one of Miranda’s kicks, unleashing a punishing left hook that sent the Brazilian crashing to the mat, concluding the evening’s festivities.
Fresh from this emphatic victory, Hughes (14-2) wasted no time making his intentions clear, calling out the Russian champion in an exhilarating post-fight interview:
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“Usman Nurmagomedov!” he yelled, his voice ringing through the arena. “You can try to evade this rematch as long as you like, but your time is f***ing coming!”
In the co-main event, local hero Alan Philpott (21-17) faced the formidable reigning PFL Europe bantamweight champion, Lewis McGrillen (12-1), in what turned out to be an exciting showdown. Despite being met with a chorus of boos en route to the cage, McGrillen’s resolve remained unshakeable as he pursued Philpott relentlessly from the very first round, eventually sealing the fight in a surprising twist.
Though he displayed his signature left hand throughout the bout, veteran fighter Philpott demonstrated incredible resilience, refusing to go down easily. Yet McGrillen showcased his well-rounded skills, finishing Philpott with a rear-naked choke in the second round that left spectators in awe.
Post-fight, McGrillen expressed his desire to hold an event in Manchester, home to many of PFL’s top talents, including Brendan Loughnane and Dakota Ditcheva.
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Earlier in the night, the PFL lightweight tournament kicked off with impressive performances, as Claudio Pacella, Alex Chizov, Gino Van Stennis, and Conner Hughes all secured their spots in the semifinals.
Hughes (11-2) delivered one of the night’s most memorable finishes, scoring a vicious knockout against Sebastien Di Franco (10-4). Di Franco bravely rose to his feet only after several minutes of attention from the medical team following the brutal stoppage.
For full PFL Belfast results and highlights, see below.
PFL Belfast full results:
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Paul Hughes def. Bruno Miranda via first-round TKO (0:42) | Watch finish
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Lewis McGrillen def. Alan Philpott via submission (RNC) (R2, 3:17) | Watch finish
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Connor Hughes def. Sebastien Di Franco via second-round KO (2:46) | Watch finish
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Gino van Steenis def. Decky McAleenan via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
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Haider Khan def. Sean McCormac via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
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Alex Chizov def. Mark Ewen via first-round TKO (1:33) | Watch finish
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Claudio Pacella def. Gavin Hughes via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)
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Eoin Sheridan def. Malichi Edwards via first-round KO (1:53) | Watch finish
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Gemma Auld def. Sammy Jo Luxton via submission (RNC) (R2, 2:43) | Watch finish
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Corey McLaughlin def. Nahom Wedi via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
