Paul Hughes has now scored the biggest win of his career, edging out a decision over former Bellator featherweight champion AJ McKee to kick off the PFL Battle of the Giants main card.
In the first round, McKee looked to land aggressively, landing kicks and trying to control the fight by pushing Hughes to the fence. The Irishman responded well with strong strikes, however, including a big knee and punches in a scramble.
McKee attempted to take the fight to the ground, but Hughes defended well. The former Cage Warriors standout managed to drop the American right before the end of the first round, nearly finishing the fight there.
The fight remained competitive in the latter two rounds, though Hughes was putting up the stronger performance. "The Mercenary" looked to maintain his strategy of clinches and takedowns, looking to take the fight to the ground and keep it there. The Irish prospect, meanwhile, looked to use his hooks, combinations, and knees to keep McKee at bay, consistently looking to pressure until the final bell.
All three judges gave 29-28 scores, with two of them in Hughes' favor, giving him the split decision win in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Paul Hughes Scores Major Decision Victory Over AJ McKee On PFL PPV card
Hughes, the former Cage Warriors champion who has won all but one of his MMA fights, entered this fight off a successful Bellator debut against Bobby King this past June.
McKee, meanwhile, saw a four-fight win streak snapped. He had entered this fight off a submission of Clay Collard at the PFL vs. Bellator pay-per-view card in February.