Connor Hughes is a fighter who is not fazed by whoever is in the opposite corner of the PFL SmartCage.
This was a feeling he gave to DAZN News at the start of his 2024 PFL Europe lightweight campaign back in March when he beat Anatolij Baal by first round stoppage.
This was followed six months later by a unanimous decision victory over Ignacio Capella which landed Hughes a place in PFL Europe's lightweight tournament final scheduled for Saturday in Lyon live on DAZN.
In the opposite corner will be Poland's Jakub Kaszuba who is the defending PFL Europe champion, and his progression to this year's final is something which did not surprise Hughes.
"I did expect it to be Jakub, at the same time I don’t really care too much about him, but I also wanted it to be him because he is the undefeated champion," Hughes told DAZN News.
"I think it’s perfect for me, a perfect comeback story, taking a loss last year, bouncing back and now looking to take out the undefeated champion from last year. I think it’s perfect."
With a 10-1-0 record, Hughes is proving to be an exciting prospect in British MMA, but his debut for the PFL did not go to plan.
Appearing in a PFL Europe event in July 2023, Hughes lost to Ireland's Dylan Tuke, but speaking to the Liverpool man over Zoom, you could not see any mental scars from the loss to Tuke which instead have been replaced by extreme confidence ahead of the showdown with Kaszuba.
"I only see me winning, I don’t even let it sink into my head about a defeat," Hughes continued.
"I believe I will knock Jakub out, I don’t know what round, I’m not even interested in that.
"I think I’ll be able to capitalise on the small opportunities amongst the chaos and I’ll be able to find something in there to take him out, and I think I’ve got the tools to do that."
If he is successful on Saturday night, Hughes is adamant that he will become the face of PFL Europe and a shot at world glory will be on the horizon.
"It’s going to springboard me definitely," Hughes responded when asked what effect a win will have on his career going forward.
"I’m about to prove that I’m the number one lightweight in Europe.
"Throughout this tournament I’ve been building, I’m getting recognised, and people are seeing me for what I am. Come to next Saturday, I’m going to be the face of PFL Europe.
"I’ll become a PFL world champion shortly after."
For Hughes, there is a clear pathway when it comes to capturing world glory soon after success in PFL Europe.
Fellow British MMA fighter and 2024 PFL women's flyweight Dakota Ditcheva did exactly that, after winning the 2023 PFL Europe title, she made easy work of the women's flyweight division during the 2024 regular season, stopping Brazil's Taila Santos in the second round of their championship clash in Riyadh last month.
While Ditcheva has shown that the transition from European champion to world champion can be done, Hughes must first deal with Kaszuba who will be eager to stop this ascent and become a two-time PFL Europe champion.
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