Prominent Irish fighter Paul Hughes is scheduled to headline the initial PFL Europe event of the year on May 10th, where he will face Bruno Miranda. Interestingly, Miranda had observed Hughes in action years prior, before Hughes became a professional athlete.
Hughes achieved recognition as the Cage Warriors champion before signing with Bellator, securing a victory over AJ McKee Jr. He later competed under the PFL banner, losing a very close majority decision to champion Usman Nurmagomedov. Miranda, known as “Robusto,” a seasoned competitor with 22 professional MMA bouts and numerous kickboxing and Muay Thai matches, also witnessed Hughes’s success within the same organization. It was later that friends pointed out Hughes and Miranda had previously trained together in Thailand.
Miranda has lived in Phuket for over a decade and remembers seeing Hughes train there in 2016, when the talented Irishman was still an amateur MMA fighter.
“I recall us being at the same training sessions at Tiger, and he was quite young then,” Miranda stated. “I’m happy to be fighting him now; he`s someone I admire. Having witnessed his development, it’s an honor to compete in this main event against him in Ireland, a nation with a strong fighting culture, similar to Brazil.”
Hughes`s profile continued to rise after his controversial loss to Nurmagomedov in January. Many fans have called for an immediate rematch, making this bout, in Miranda`s view, “a tremendous opportunity for me.” The Brazilian talent doesn`t believe an upset win would automatically lead to a lightweight title shot, but he acknowledges it would significantly change how he is perceived by the MMA community.
“He’s had a solid career, and his last fight was impressive,” Miranda commented. “I think he should have won that one, but that’s how it goes. I am here to challenge the expectations, to defeat the favorite. It genuinely is an honor; I hold great respect for him and the entire Irish people. I am going there with the utmost respect, prepared to bring intense energy and secure the victory.”
“I plan to be a challenging opponent for him,” he added. “I have no specific expectations for what comes after this fight. I am not looking past this moment, but I aim to be difficult for him and achieve the win. A title opportunity is potentially possible, but I prefer to focus on taking things one step at a time. Anything that happens afterward is a bonus. My primary objective is to defeat him. I will be content with any opportunity PFL offers me next.”
In his most recent bout in June 2024, Miranda earned a decision win against former Bellator lightweight champion Patricky Pitbull. This victory followed consecutive defeats to PFL champion Olivier Aubin-Mercier and former Bellator titleholder Brent Primus. Miranda intends to test Hughes’s striking abilities at the SSE Arena in Belfast.
“Every fight is unique, and each pairing presents different challenges,” Miranda said. “I cannot compare myself to his last opponent because our fighting styles are different. However, he is the kind of fighter who applies pressure, which I enjoy. I am consistently an aggressive fighter and am curious to see how he reacts to facing a skilled striker like myself.”
Murray Blackwood