Paul Hughes isn’t pulling any punches when it comes to his views on facing Bellator lightweight champion Usman Nurmagomedov.

As he gears up to battle A.J. McKee at PFL’s “Battle of the Giants” this Saturday, Hughes has his sights set on a much larger prize—potentially challenging Nurmagomedov down the line.

Hughes (12-1) believes that a fight with Nurmagomedov could be a headline-grabber, saying, “It’s Ireland vs. Dagestan, No. 2. Nurmagomedov vs. me. That sells itself.”

However, there’s one thing Hughes wants if this fight materializes—frequent and thorough drug testing.

Nurmagomedov recently faced controversy after testing positive for a prohibited substance in his title defense against Brent Primus.

Though he avoided losing his title due to a doctor’s note explaining it was for therapeutic use, the incident clearly left Hughes with doubts. “I’d be making sure if I’m fighting him, there would be severe drug testing for sure,” Hughes remarked.

Despite the failed test, Hughes acknowledges Nurmagomedov’s standing as a top lightweight fighter.

“He’s certainly up there,” Hughes admitted, although he pointed out that Nurmagomedov’s recent performance against Alexandr Shabliy didn’t exactly leave him impressed, calling it “not the best performance of all time.”

As Hughes prepares for his fight against McKee, the prospect of facing Nurmagomedov looms large, with the Irish fighter confident that victory on Saturday would strengthen his position for the potential clash.

In this high-stakes world, Hughes is ready for anything—and he’s making it clear, he wants a fair fight.

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