Fighters are often criticized for not prioritizing their financial interests over their MMA careers, but such an accusation cannot be leveled at the Irish prospect. Paulo Hughes.
Hughes (11-1), a former Cage Warriors champion, just went through the free agency process and had offers from the UFC and PFL on the line. He chose to go with the latter to the surprise of some, but for Hughes it wasn’t much of a debate.
“As time goes on, I’m happier and happier with the decision,” Hughes told MMA Junkie on Wednesday. “I fought for Cage Warriors for a long time and having this opportunity to test free agency was exciting. … I actually opened communication with the PFL six months before that. We received an offer from them, but at the time I couldn’t get out of the contract with Cage Warriors. So I couldn’t consider it. But the offer was there.
“What this offer did was change things for me. I had six months to basically make that decision if that was the path I wanted to take. I’ve had a lot of time to think about this. … The main driving force behind this was the 2025 $1 million tournament, which I will participate in. I’m 27 years old. If I have the opportunity to have $1 million in the bank by age 27, I think I’m doing great. Fighters need to capitalize in this game. It’s that simple. The last thing I want is to be someone who gave my life to this game and came out the other side broke at the end.”
Why PFL instead of UFC?
Hughes confirmed that his free agency process resulted in an offer from the UFC. He could have made an Octagon debut on the same UFC 303 card that features the return of Irish star Conor McGregor, and it was all tempting.
However, when Hughes sat down with her team and delved into the positives and negatives, she kept coming back to maximize her position. In this sense, it was difficult to resist the package presented by the PFL.
“Of course I got an offer from the UFC,” Hughes said. “I’m blazing my own path here, I’m on my own journey and I’m forging a new journey for myself. But also for the younger fighters that are coming up in this game and that have star potential, you don’t just have to always follow the path that you’re told to do. You probably won’t be rewarded for this early in your career. Why should you struggle for a few years before you start making money when you bring value to the table where you should receive your worth?
“I understand if you’re a younger fighter coming in and you’ve got six, seven, eight fights and you don’t have a name for yourself, you haven’t won titles outside of the organization, then potentially go that route. But not many fighters come out the other side of this game with money in the bank, and for the value I bring to this game and my fights and this sport and the atmosphere and the feeling I bring, I deserve to be rewarded for that. I believe I bring something different to the table.”
Looking ahead to Bellator Champions Series debut
The positive light in which the PFL views Hughes is evident from the start. A few days after his signing was made official, the promotion booked him for the Bellator Champions Series: Dublin card on June 22 at the 3Arena.
It could be the last time Hughes will have the chance to compete at home for several years, as he aims to make multiple runs in the PFL’s $1 million seasons starting next year. He’s pleased to be able to stay active before the start of next year, starting with a co-main event clash against Bobby King (12-6).
“I knew this Dublin card would be something new,” Hughes said. “I asked for Patricky ‘Pitbull’, I asked for Peter Queally – those were the names I was throwing out. They weren’t available, but I said, ‘Get me the hardest fight you can, get me the biggest name-value fight you can.’ They loved hearing that, but they said, ‘Look, we’ve got this guy for you, he took the fight and let’s get the ball rolling.’
“Bobby is a great fighter and a tough guy, but I truly believe I’m one of the best in the world right now. I really believe this, so I’m going to make it look easy.”
Hughes said he is grateful to have his debut scheduled so soon after signing and plans to show PFL officials that they made the right decision in bringing him such a lucrative offer. He said he feels respected and valued in his new home and intends to put on spectacular performances inside the cage.
“They believed in me,” Hughes said. “They made me a great offer and it’s been absolutely amazing dealing with them so far. It’s very exciting for me, on all fronts, to take this next step in my PFL career.”
