Exclusive Paul Hughes sit-down, UFC Kansas City, Cage Warriors Dublin & more | The Craic

Petesy opens the show by teeing up the biggest stories of the week, then dives into an exclusive sit-down interview with rising Irish star Paul Hughes (06:17). Hughes kicks things off by sharing how it feels to headline his homecoming fight at the SSE Arena in Belfast. He and Petesy take a trip down memory lane, reminiscing about Paul’s roots in the local amateur scene. The Irishman gets real about his hopes for a rematch with Usman Nurmagomedov, and lays out how he thinks that fight would play out (16:36). Next, Hughes gives his take on the rising talents of Europe. He breaks down the upcoming bout between fellow Irishman Ian Garry and Carlos Prates (32:02), reacts to Paddy Pimblett’s shocking win over Michael Chandler (36:16), and talks sparring sessions with Ilia Topuria (37:36). To wrap things up, Hughes gets candid about the fallout from Conor McGregor’s comments on his moment of respect with Khabib Nurmagomedov (43:03). He highlights how much his Northern Irish roots mean to him and how he stays focused on the positives, despite the noise. On the back end of the show, Petesy is joined by Andy Stevenson of Severe MMA (50:18). The two break down the importance of Paul Hughes’s rise, Ian Garry’s short-notice fight against Carlos Prates, and much more.