Paul Hughes earned the biggest win of his career as he outstruck AJ McKee to win their lightweight bout by split decision in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Belfast’s Hughes, 27, dropped American McKee with a right hook in the first round and impressed throughout with his dangerous striking.
Hughes was an underdog going into the bout against 29-year-old McKee, who is a former Bellator featherweight champion.
“The PFL believed in me and look at me now. I took the risk, I fought one of the best in the division. Here I am, a rural kid from Ireland. I bet on myself,” said Hughes.
The bout opened the main card of the PFL’s Super Fights card, which is headlined by Francis Ngannou’s heavyweight bout with Renan Ferreira.
Hughes had called the fight with McKee a “life-changing opportunity” in the build-up to the contest, with the American representing the biggest bout of his career.
Hughes, a former featherweight champion in UK-based promotion Cage Warriors, was competing in only his second PFL bout after defeating Bobby King in June.
McKee, meanwhile, was the face of Bellator for years before it was acquired by the PFL last year, with his 18-fight win streak between 2015 and 2021 representing the longest in the promotion’s history.
Hughes’ lack of big-fight experience compared to McKee was not evident however as he put the American on the backfoot from opening bell.
With Hughes looking dangerous, McKee instigated the first grappling exchange while narrowly avoiding a flying knee, which drew gasps from the crowd.
McKee turned to his wrestling to try to nullify Hughes’ strikes but the Ireland fighter defended well before delivering the defining moment of the round.
With McKee backed up against the cage, Hughes dropped him with a right hook before the bell came to the American’s rescue.
McKee recovered well in the second round, avoiding serious damage from Hughes while delivering some quick one-two jabs, before ending the round on top on the ground.
But Hughes would take control again in the final five minutes, trapping McKee up against the cage once again and unleashing an array of strikes against the tiring American, including an eye-catching uppercut.
After extending his record to 13 wins and one defeat, while inflicting only the second loss of McKee’s 24-fight career, Hughes called for a bout with Russian Bellator lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov.
A fired-up Hughes said: “We want to see Ireland v Dagestan, we want to see Paul Hughes v Usman Nurmagomedov for the Bellator lightweight title. Let’s go!”
Eblen denies Edwards Bellator gold again
Elsewhere, Birmingham’s Fabian Edwards missed out on the Bellator middleweight title once again as American Johnny Eblen retained his belt via unanimous decision.
Eblen, 32, outwrestled 31-year-old Edwards throughout and despite a late rally from the Briton, it was not enough to convince the judges of victory.
It is the second time Eblen has retained his title against Edwards after knocking him out last September, extending his unbeaten record to 15.
Edwards’ defeat means Britain’s wait for a first Bellator champion since Liam McGeary won light-heavyweight gold in 2015 goes on.
Edwards had Eblen in trouble in the second round last September, delivering a deep cut above the American’s right eye with an elbow, later saying he lost his composure trying to capitalise on it which opened himself up for the knockout.
He showed more patience in the rematch, adopting a counterstriking approach, but had little answer to Eblen when he chose to wrestle.
Eblen took Edwards down multiple times in the first four rounds, earning minutes of control time, with Edwards’ best moments coming via sporadic leg kicks and counter lefts, rights and elbows.
Perhaps sensing defeat, and spurred on by his older brother and former UFC welterweight champion Leon at cageside, Edwards pushed forward relentlessly in the final round.
He had Eblen on the backfoot throughout, landing a series of elbows from the clinch and left-right combinations, but it was in vain as Eblen held on until the final bell.
“I’m pretty satisfied. I wish I could have ended him again. There is still some aspects of my game I need to work on,” said Eblen.
“Fabian’s a top-level guy. He’s one of the best in the world. It was really great to face him again.”
