PFL has officially announced its return to the SSE Arena on Thursday, April 16, with hometown hero Paul “Big News” Hughes (14-3) headlining the card in front of his passionate Irish fanbase for the second time. Standing across from him will be New Zealand's Jay Jay “The Māori Kid” Wilson (11-2), a dangerous lightweight contender who brings legitimate finishing ability from multiple positions.
.@pflmma is returning to BELFAST 👊 @thessearenabelfast APRIL 16th@paulhughesmma vs @themaorikid1
Fans can register for presale at https://t.co/Pjtk7f7rQl
Tuesday February 24th, 7AM ET – Pre-Sale begins
Wednesday February 25th, 7AM ET – General Sale begins pic.twitter.com/eoivy9fvva— John Martin (@JohnMartinPFL) February 23, 2026
Hughes spent the better part of 2025 as one of the most exciting fighters in the PFL lightweight division, even if the results didn't always go his way. He stepped up twice against PFL Lightweight World Champion and pound-for-pound No. 1 Usman Nurmagomedov in Dubai, delivering two of the most competitive and technically impressive bouts in recent PFL history. Those fights may have ended in defeat, but they cemented Hughes as a legitimate top contender and earned him serious respect across the MMA community.
His lone win in 2025, sandwiched between two Nurmagomedov title defeats, was a devastating one. Hughes returned to the SSE Arena last May and demolished Brazilian Bruno Miranda in just 42 seconds via first-round knockout, sending the Belfast crowd into a frenzy. Now ranked No. 4 in the division, “Big News” is back in his city with a clear mission, to remind the world he belongs at the top of the lightweight ladder.
PAUL HUGHES STOPS BRUNO MIRANDA IN 42 SECONDS! 🔥🔥🔥
— MMA Orbit (@mma_orbit) May 10, 2025
Don't sleep on the challenger. Wilson arrives in Belfast with an 11-2 record and something that sets him apart from most fighters at this level, he has never been stopped in 13 professional bouts. His two losses came against elite competition in undefeated No. 3 Archie Colgan and No. 2 Gadzhi Rabadanov, fighters who can genuinely say they've beaten the best. Wilson owns four KO/TKO finishes and four submission victories, making him a legitimate threat wherever the fight goes.
A win over Hughes on his home turf would be a massive résumé builder and could push Wilson into title contention almost immediately.
How to Watch PFL Belfast
PFL Belfast airs live on ESPN2, the ESPN App, and ESPN Deportes. The preliminary card streams at 2:30 pm ET on the ESPN App, with the main card beginning at 7 pm ET.
