Paul Hughes has set his sites on the UFC after unifying the Cage Warriors featherweight division following his win over Jordan Vucenic.
Hughes dominated Vucenic over five rounds to claim a comfortable unanimous decision victory, and almost stopped his opponent on a couple of occasions.
The title victory not only avenges his only defeat in his career, but Paul Hughes also becomes the first Irish fighter since Conor McGregor to win the featherweight title in Cage Warriors.
🏆 Your NEW, undisputed Featherweight Champion... Paul Hughes 🇮🇪 pic.twitter.com/YeYLOuOnuW
— Cage Warriors (@CageWarriors) November 4, 2022
It has been a long journey for the Derry fighter, who claimed the interim title in October last year, and was set to unify the title in May but had to pull out just days before his bout with Vucenic due to injury.
Paul Hughes’s struggles with injury have been the only thing preventing him winning the title before last night, making last night’s victory all the more sweeter.
Paul Hughes found a little slice of Ireland at the Indigo. It will be a long time before he forgets Cage Warriors 145#CW145 pic.twitter.com/hjQvWMHt7M
— UFC FIGHT PASS (@UFCFightPass) November 4, 2022
Looking to the future, Hughes plans to join fellow Irish fighters Conor McGregor and Ian Garry in the UFC, claiming he has ‘completed Cage Warriors.’
EXCLUSIVE : The New @cagewarriors Featherweight World Champion @paulhughesmma wants a @ufc contract next🇮🇪👑👊#PaulHughes #CW145 #CageWarriors #MMA #UFC #FightNight #EnergizedShow #UFCFightPass pic.twitter.com/L89yuxR6rc
— Energized Show (@Energized_Show) November 5, 2022
“Cage Warriors, completed it. I’ve taken out all the best guys out in Europe, I’m selling my venues in other countries on Friday nights. That’s what I’m doing here.
I’ve just unified the title, I’ve avenged my only loss, in my eyes I’m 10-0 right now. I am the biggest prospect unsigned to the UFC, in the world.”
The 25-year-old wants to have the same affect that Conor McGregor had when he entered the UFC from Cage Warriors, as Hughes wants to represent all of Ireland in his career.
“We’ve got a country behind us. You’ve heard of Conor McGregor, Paul Hughes is next. I truly am bringing a country behind me.
I’m bringing Northern Ireland, I’m bringing Ireland, I’m bringing Derry, I’m bringing Belfast. We’ve got a new horse in the race and his name his Paul Hughes, and he’s a superstar.”
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