Paul Hughes could face Usman Nurmagomedov in a Belfast stadium next year if he gets the win in their rematch.
That’s the pitch from fellow Irishman Caolan Loughran, who plans to earn a world title shot of his own on October 3 when he faces 2024 PFL Europe champion Lewis McGrillen. Irish fighters have become infamous over the years for calling their shots, and ex-Cage Warriors champion Loughran is no different.
The ambitious bantamweight has already bet on himself just by joining the promotion; opting against a new UFC deal after finishing his first contract on a win back in March. And now he wants to follow in contemporary Hughes’ footsteps by dragging PFL back to Belfast for a super card next year.
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Caolan Loughran unveils plan for PFL title double header in Windsor Park
In the event of a Paul Hughes victory at the Coca-Cola Arena on October 3, Caolan Loughran believes that a trilogy would be the only fair fight. And after the Irishman was forced to head back to enemy territory in the Middle East for his rematch, he would have the bargaining chips for the series decider.
Loughran believes that alongside his own ambitions to face newly-crowned bantamweight World Tournament winner Marcirley Alves, this could be enough to take them back to Belfast. But instead of the 9,000 seats of the SSE Arena, he wants to go to the 18,500-capacity Windsor Park.
“I want to start rumbles of this and then try help push it,” Loughran explained in an exclusive chat with Bloody Elbow. “This weekend Lewis Crocker is boxing Paddy Donovan in Windsor Park, right? Me and Paul are both bigger names in Belfast than Lewis Crocker. 100 per cent.
“So if that can fill out Windsor then Paul and Usman 3 can fill it 100 per cent. So then if it’s going to be a PFL Champions Series event? You probably will need another title fight so I’m starting to build that now to be honest.
“I’m putting this out there and I honestly believe it could happen. If they want me to fight Sergio [Pettis] in December then I’ll do that too. But if a title fight came straight away I obviously want to do that.
“And this is the benefit of fighting Lewis, I could be fighting some Russian guy and nobody knows who the f– they are. But around this neck of the woods he is a bit of a name and brings eyeballs which benefits me.”
Caolan Loughran backs Paul Hughes to knock out Usman Nurmagomedov in rematch
First, though, both Loughran and Hughes must get past stern challenges of their own. Usman Nurmagomedov is one of the toughest tests in the world of MMA, and has never been defeated despite a razor-close effort from the Irishman.
However, Loughran believes with five rounds of experience, Hughes will finish the job this time around in Dubai. “I think Paul is going to knock him clean out,” he claimed. “I honestly do even though I expect both of them to be better.
“I think Usman probably did overlook Paul if I have to be brutally honest and I don’t think he will. Khabib will have him wired and they’re all out in that part of the world already, the whole team’s there.
“But I was over at the gym with Paul and he’s so confident, he just thinks he has Usman’s number. I think he and maybe Usman know now that he can’t be held down and out-wrestled and Paul is pretty confident that he has an energy bar that’s limited.
“So one of two things will happen. Paul will catch him early or his energy will gas Usman out, I honestly think he’s going to knock him clean out.”