Irish fighting sensation Paul Hughes is set to headline PFL Europe`s initial event of the year on May 10, facing Bruno Miranda. Miranda is someone who witnessed Hughes in action long before he turned professional.
Hughes gained significant recognition as the Cage Warriors champion before moving to Bellator, where he defeated AJ McKee Jr. He then suffered a very close majority decision loss to PFL champion Usman Nurmagomedov under the PFL banner. Meanwhile, Bruno “Robusto” Miranda, a seasoned competitor with 22 professional MMA bouts and numerous kickboxing and Muay Thai fights, was observing Hughes`s success. It was then that friends pointed out that Hughes and Miranda had previously trained together years earlier in Thailand.
Miranda, having lived in Phuket for over a decade, remembers watching Hughes train there in 2016 when the Irish talent was still competing as an amateur MMA fighter.
Miranda shared with MMA Fighting, “I recall we were on the same training sessions at Tiger, and he was quite young. I`m happy to be competing against him now; he`s someone I admire. I had the chance to see his development, so it`s truly an honor to be featured in this main event opposite him in Ireland, a nation passionate about fighting, much like Brazil.”
Hughes`s profile only grew following his controversial loss to Nurmagomedov in January. With fans expressing strong desire for an immediate rematch, Miranda views this upcoming bout as “a massive opportunity” for himself. The Brazilian competitor doesn`t necessarily believe a win automatically leads to a lightweight title shot, but he feels it will significantly alter how he is perceived by the mixed martial arts community.
Miranda commented, “He`s had a solid career, and his last fight was excellent. In my opinion, he won, but that`s history. I`m here to defy expectations and overcome the favorite. It genuinely is an honor; I respect him and the entire Irish nation deeply. I`m traveling there with immense respect, prepared to bring intense pressure and secure the victory.”
He continued, “I plan to be a challenging opponent for him. I don`t have expectations beyond this fight; I`m focused solely on the task at hand. However, my goal is to be a difficult matchup and achieve the win. A title opportunity might be possible, but I prefer to focus step-by-step. Whatever comes next is a bonus. The primary objective is to defeat him. I`ll be satisfied with whatever PFL offers me afterwards.”
In his most recent fight in June 2024, Miranda secured a decision victory against former Bellator lightweight champion Patricky Pitbull, bouncing back from consecutive losses to PFL champion Olivier Aubin-Mercier and former Bellator titleholder Brent Primus. He plans to test Hughes’s striking skills when they meet at the SSE Arena in Belfast.
“Every fight is unique, and each matchup presents different challenges,” Miranda stated. “I cannot compare myself to his previous opponents because our fighting styles are different, but he is the type of fighter who applies pressure – and I thrive on that. I am an aggressive fighter consistently, and I am eager to see how he responds to facing a skilled striker.”
