RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Paul Hughes was rightfully in a joyous temper after pulling off an underdog win over A.J. McKee at PFL: Battle of the Giants, and has his eyes set on a title shot.
“Everyone knows who’s subsequent! Usman Nurmagomedov is subsequent!” Hughes yelled into the microphone as he arrived at a post-fight information convention. “Everyone knows that, proper? Let’s go. Let’s do that.”
For “Huge Information” Hughes (13-1), defeating McKee was his largest profession win up to now. Though, he admits issues weren’t supreme coming into this struggle, which can have prevented an early end, as he predicted.
“If I had a bit of extra pop in that final spherical, I’m not going to lie, I used to be gassed after the primary,” Hughes advised reporters. “I didn’t have one of the best coaching camp, and I felt that in my physique after the primary spherical. I didn’t fairly have that pop. I knew precisely what I wanted to do to get him out of there. I simply – a bit of bit further lactic that I wouldn’t have had, and I ought to have gotten him out of there.”
Hughes landed some huge photographs in the course of the struggle, together with a few huge knees to McKee’s face. It was a shot Hughes knew can be there. A lot in order that he pre-recorded a YouTube video that he deliberate to drop had he completed the struggle with the strike, however he stated he’ll should hold that one within the drafts.
The struggle was one among Hughes’ finest performances up to now, and regardless that he needed to sweat out a cut up choice learn, he was absolutely assured he did sufficient to win.
Now, it’s about chasing gold, which the Irishman believes needs to be his subsequent struggle. The undefeated Nurmagomedov (18-0) presently holds the Bellator light-weight title.
With the Nurmagomedov’s historical past together with his fellow countryman Conor McGregor, Hughes would like to have “The Infamous” be in his nook for that struggle, to carry a counter power of kinds as a result of Khabib Nurmagomedov can be in Usman’s nook.
“Conor, I would like you in my nook for that struggle, one hundred pc,” Hughes stated. “How cool would that be? I imply, we’d want some further safety that night time, however I’m down for it. I feel it could be enjoyable.”
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