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Paul Hughes Shrugs Off Conor McGregor’s Social Media Tirade: ‘I Wasn’t Offended At All’

Paul Hughes isn’t sparing a second thought on Conor McGregor’s social media outbursts directed at him. Hughes is fresh off a hard-fought five-round war at PFL Champions Series: Road to Dubai, where he dropped a majority decision to lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov this past Saturday — a performance that initially even had McGregor singing his […]

Paul Hughes isn’t sparing a second thought on Conor McGregor’s social media outbursts directed at him.

Hughes is fresh off a hard-fought five-round war at PFL Champions Series: Road to Dubai, where he dropped a majority decision to lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov this past Saturday — a performance that initially even had McGregor singing his praises.

However, all hell broke loose after a video of “Big News” sharing an in-cage moment with Khabib Nurmagomedov in the aftermath of his fight went viral on social media, where he attempted to distance himself from McGregor. The clip ultimately caught the attention of “The Notorious” himself.

McGregor lashed out at Hughes, firing off a series of now-deleted tweets that mocked his fellow Irishman and targeted his Northern Irish roots. In reply, the 27-year-old first extended a measure of respect to McGregor, all the while probing the former UFC two-division champion’s mental clarity.

@TheNotoriousMMA always said u were the goat, payed homage at every opportunity.

But coming at my Irish identity just shows where your head is at.

— Paul Hughes MMA (@paulhughesmma) January 29, 2025

During a recent appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, Hughes broke down McGregor’s social media outburst, calmly stating that he wasn’t the slightest bit offended by the UFC superstar’s public tirade.

“Big News” explained that he understands McGregor’s tendency to let his emotions run wild online, brushing off the insults with an air of indifference.

“I wasn’t offended at all,” Hughes said. “A lot of people in Ireland, especially in Northern Ireland, could be deeply affected by the things he said, but I’m not actually offended or didn’t take it personally at all because it sounds bad, but it just seems like another day in his life—just tweeting madness. It’s not like I saw that and went, ‘Oh, you know what, I can’t believe he said this about me.’ I think it’s just another day in his life for him, and I just don’t have any opinion on it anymore… In fact, I just laughed at it when I saw it. It’s not something that I’ve been thinking about all day.”

"I've always paid Conor homage at every opportunity.
I'll always say that he's the greatest to ever do it. I always believe that…

It, honestly, didn't really bother me coming from him. I don't hold that much weight to what he says anymore, which is, kind of a sad thing."

Paul… pic.twitter.com/Lq5wfJ8QwX

— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) January 29, 2025

Hughes, who had originally extended an invitation to “The Notorious” to be in his corner for the Nurmagomedov fight, went on to express that while he has always respected what McGregor has done for the sport, the 36-year-old Irishman’s words no longer resonate with him.

“I’ve always shown respect to Conor at every opportunity. I’ve consistently called him the greatest to ever do it, and I’ll always believe that. But honestly, it just didn’t bother me coming from him because his words don’t carry the same weight anymore.”

Khabib Nurmagomedov Sends Supportive Message To Paul Hughes After Conor McGregor’s Attack: ‘You Are A Real Irishman!’

Former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov has unsurprisingly taken aim at longtime rival Conor McGregor and backed Paul Hughes in the Irishman’s sudden back and forth with “The Notorious.” The relationship between Hughes and McGregor has taken a firm downward turn this week after footage emerged of “Big News” discussing Ireland’s most prominent fighter while […]

The relationship between Hughes and McGregor has taken a firm downward turn this week after footage emerged of “Big News” discussing Ireland’s most prominent fighter while in conversation with Khabib.

Hughes spoke to “The Eagle” inside the cage at the PFL Champions Series: Road to Dubai event last weekend, where the former Cage Warriors standout pushed Khabib’s cousin, Usman Nurmagomedov, all the way in their Bellator lightweight title fight.

While much of the lead-up had been heated with a “Dagestan vs. Ireland” narrative, Usman showed respect to Hughes after taking the decision win. And the defeated challenger was keen to express to the opposition team that he’s far from the same as another Irish fighter whose controversial nature Khabib got to know very well a few years ago.

Footage of Hughes making that point to the former UFC champ quickly went viral and found its way to McGregor, who has since been slamming “Big News” in a series of tweets, one of which saw him question Hughes’ Irish heritage.

Though Hughes has been garnering support with his own firm responses to McGregor, he also received some backing from “The Eagle,” who branded his rival a “rapist and drug addict” in a post on his Instagram Stories.

“You are a real Irishman @paulhughesmma and not a rapist and drug addict like this bastard,” Nurmagomedov wrote.

McGregor was recently embroiled in a civil court case after being accused of rape by Nikita Hand. He was found civilly liable for the assault late last year and forced to pay the victim almost €250,000.

The Irishman’s troubles appear far from ending, too, after he was sued by a woman who claims he sexually assaulted her during the Heat vs. Celtics NBA game in June 2023.

VIDEO: Paul Hughes Distances Himself From Conor McGregor During In-Cage Conversation With Khabib

It doesn’t look like the PFL will be drawing a link between Paul Hughes and Conor McGregor going forward. In the build-up to Hughes’ title fight against Usman Nurmagomedov this past weekend, the promotion used the prior history between Dagestan and Ireland to promote the fight. With the Bellator lightweight champion being cornered by his […]

With the Bellator lightweight champion being cornered by his cousin, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Hughes had even mentioned having McGregor with him at one stage but any plans for this to happen quickly fell apart for multiple reasons, including the former UFC star’s civil assault case and his commitments with BKFC.

Following an incredible fight at the Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, video footage shows Hughes sharing a quick word with Khabib where there is a clear mutual respect between them. The challenger can be seen referencing “The Notorious” and how they are not the same person in a short clip from Will Harris’ “Anatomy Of A Fighter”.

“I’m not like this other guy, I’m my own man. I’m not like this other guy.”

Once the clip was posted on social media, it quickly caught the attention of McGregor who has exchanged compliments with Hughes on multiple occasions. That being said, the public opinion surrounding “The Mac” has changed a lot in recent times and his previous actions shouldn’t influence the way that “Big News” is perceived.

McGregor hit back at Hughes in a series of now deleted posts which took a swipe at the Irish pride of the 27-year old rising star.

Conor McGregor posts and then deletes tweet insulting Paul Hughes for having an Irish flag and being from Northern Ireland pic.twitter.com/AY3hSQKBp1

— ACD MMA (@acdmma_) January 29, 2025

Hughes posted a short response to some of the comments made by McGregor in reaction to the video footage. He makes it clear that he has always given his fellow Irishman respect for what he has achieved in the sport.

@TheNotoriousMMA always said u were the goat, payed homage at every opportunity.

But coming at my Irish identity just shows where your head is at.

— Paul Hughes MMA (@paulhughesmma) January 29, 2025

What did Khabib Nurmagomedov Tell Usman In-Between Rounds? The Champ Reveals “Show to Me Your Heart”

What exactly did Khabib Nurmagomedov tell his cousin during Saturday’s PFL Road to Dubai headliner? Reigning Bellator lightweight titleholder…

What exactly did Khabib Nurmagomedov tell his cousin during Saturday’s PFL Road to Dubai headliner?

Reigning Bellator lightweight titleholder Usman Nurmagomedov faced his toughest test to date, going five hard rounds with Irish sensation Paul Hughes in the first PFL event of 2025. After 25 minutes of intense back-and-forth action, Nurmagomedov overcame the adversity and emerged victorious, keeping both his title and his undefeated record intact.

Following the fight, Usman offered some insight into the words that Khabib told him as the fight seemingly started to slip away.

“Yes, he said, ‘You show to me your heart. I like, I like this. This is what you need.’ And I said, ‘It’s not for what I need. I was focused on finishing.’ He said, ‘No, no, no. This is experience. This is what you need.’ I agree with that,” Usman Nurmagomedov said during a post-fight interview.

Usman Nurmagomedov ultimately left with a majority decision victory after one judge ruled the bout as a draw. The somewhat controversial decision moved the 26-year-old Dagestani star to 19-0 in his professional mixed martial arts career.

Usman Nurmagomedov says no to immediate rematch with Paul Hughes

Given the close nature of the contest, some fight fans quickly began clamoring for an immediate rematch between the two. However, the Dagestani has little interest in that, suggesting the Irishman needs to go out and get a few more wins before earning another opportunity at the gold.

“No, he have to earn with a couple two, three, four fights in [PFL],” Nurmagomedov said in a backstage interview after the event. “He had only two fights and they gave him title shot. But Paul Hughes, this is all my respect to this guy. I think if he even go to the tournament for $1 million, he 100 percent [has a] chance to take this belt. Then, we can talk rematches.”

Former Bellator Analyst Calls Out Usman Nurmagomedov’s ‘Weird’ Comment After Paul Hughes Win

While Usman Nurmagomedov and Paul Hughes showed nothing but respect for one another in the aftermath of their battle at Saturday’s PFL event, a former fighter wasn’t impressed with one aspect of the Bellator lightweight champion’s post-fight approach. The Professional Fighters League kicked off its schedule for 2025 with the Champions Series: Road to Dubai […]

The Professional Fighters League kicked off its schedule for 2025 with the Champions Series: Road to Dubai card inside Coca-Cola Arena, where Nurmagomedov and Hughes collided in a clash dubbed “Dagestan vs. Ireland 2.”

Like other results on the night, the win went to the former region, with the reigning Bellator titleholder emerging with the gold still in his possession by narrow margins.

Nurmagomedov had been largely dismissive of Hughes throughout the buildup, but he got a rude awakening when “Big News” gave him about all he could handle across five rounds in the Middle East.

The Dagestani acknowledged that he had underestimated his challenger, who echoed the sentiments of some in the community by suggesting he did enough to deserve the victory. With that in mind, he demanded an immediate rematch.

The champ, however, isn’t keen. And he went as far as to claim that the Irishman will need to beat three or four other opponents to earn a second opportunity.

During an episode of his Weighing In podcast alongside former referee John McCarthy, ex-UFC fighter Josh Thomson reacted to that suggestion.

“I didn’t like hearing Usman Nurmagomedov in the back saying, ‘No, he’s got to fight three or four more other fighters.’ That was weird,” Nurmagomedov said. “There’s not even three or four more other fighters in your guys’ weight class.”

Though Usman has made his stance clear, that hasn’t stopped Hughes from making his case. He recently responded to an invitation to visit Dagestan from Khabib Nurmagomedov by insisting a rematch with his cousin must come first.

The PFL, meanwhile, hasn’t divulged its plans for either man moving forward.

Paul Hughes Graciously Accepts Khabib Nurmagomedov’s Invitation to Dagestan – But on One Condition

Khabib Nurmagomedov might have a new student in his gym. Following a grueling five-round championship battle with Usman Nurmagomedov…

Khabib Nurmagomedov might have a new student in his gym. Following a grueling five-round championship battle with Usman Nurmagomedov in the PFL, Paul Hughes expressed gratitude for a gesture of respect from Khabib Nurmagomedov, who invited the Irish fighter to visit Dagestan.

Paul Hughes Responds to Khabib Nurmagomedov

The legendary former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov, extended the invitation on social media, stating: “Thank you for the fight, @paulhughesmma, and for the experience. I invite you and your whole team and family to Dagestan, any time you want. Believe me, you will like it, and your arrival will serve as a good example for many young generations.”

Paul Hughes is known for his humility and respect for his opponents. He responded graciously, saying: “Thank you, @TeamKhabib. I have great respect for you, your team, and your nation. I would be honored to take you up on this offer someday and then return the favor in Ireland. But please, only after I get to rematch Usman.”

The exchange follows their highly anticipated championship clash on January 25, 2025, in Dubai, where Usman Nurmagomedov retained the Lightweight Title in the PFL with a majority decision victory. The fight marked the final defense of a Bellator title before the organization’s integration into the PFL.

Paul Hughes Usman Nurmagomedov — 2025 PFL Road to Dubai Champions Series: at Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, UAE, Saturday, Saturday, January, 25, 2025. (Jose Peñuela / PFL)

The bout was a technical and intense contest, with Paul Hughes showcasing sharp striking and solid takedown defense against the undefeated Dagestani champion. Nurmagomedov’s superior grappling and composure under pressure ultimately secured his victory, extending his record to an impressive 19-0. Judges scored the fight 48-46, 48-46, and 47-47 in favor of Nurmagomedov.

The fight featured several dramatic moments, including point deductions for accidental groin strikes and a head clash that left Hughes bloodied. Despite falling short, Hughes earned widespread praise for his performance and immediately called for a rematch in his home of Northern Ireland.

Paul Hughes Khabib Nurmagomedov Usman Nurmagomedov 2 — 2025 PFL Road to Dubai Champions Series: at Coca-Cola Arena in Dubai, UAE, Saturday, Saturday, January, 25, 2025. (Jose Peñuela / PFL)

The mutual respect between the Nurmagomedov family and Hughes highlights the sportsmanship that remains at the heart of MMA. While Hughes’ primary focus remains on earning a rematch with Usman, the prospect of visiting Dagestan adds another layer of intrigue to this rivalry. This has been considered an extension of the Ireland vs. Dagestan epic clash that began with the unforgettable rivalry between Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov.