Belfast, Northern Ireland - A blind man can tell you that Paul Hughes was in the Belfast PFL on Saturday night.
As the evening's featured attractions approached, Foy Vance's rendition of Grace is a ballad about Joseph Plunkett, the leader of Easter Rising Easter in 1916, married his love Grace Gifford a few hours before execution - hitting the convention like a gut, turning the chaos into a respectful chorus.
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Hughes hit the ramp after Nipsey Hussle's "Victory Circle" hit the sound system. When the Irish were preparing to fight on the same field eight years ago, people of similar ages were flooded.
Just before he reached the final checkpoint, he returned to Ireland's Battle Academy (FAI) coaches Liam Shannon and Pat McAlister, as well as his boxing coach Donard McNally. While Hughes is undoubtedly why the vast majority of people paid hard money at the door, his brief pause felt like the nod of the hub Fai built in Belfast, which would be undoubtedly the night as it would be regarded as the largest MMA Hotbed on the island.
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Visiting headlines Bruno Miranda was tempted back and forth, stimulating by the energy of the venue. Hughes cut a stoic character, who is totally still praying, preparing or otherwise.
Paul Hughes enters the SSE Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland. (Josepeã±uela/pfl)
(Josepeã±uela)A group of four men in Paul Hughes T-shirts acted as my compass for the average market immediately after I landed in Belfast.
The gates of the famous Odyssey complex that hosted the event were not open for another two hours, but hundreds of Hughes had gathered, serenades were skewed by folk singers and radiating sporadic odes of “Huces, Hughes, Hughes, Hughes, Hughes”.
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No one cares especially about Delhi's rival Miranda. Every time they are asked to make a prediction, Hughes devotees insist that the fight won’t leave the first round, and some think it won’t last for a minute.
"Big News" confirmed his elite level in January with unbeaten PFL champion Usman Nurmagomedov in a close match, but will show the world what he means to his people tonight. And it's not only in the parliament - members of "Big News" built porters of the Titanic in the town, such as New York, London, Dubai and Glasgow.
The calmness in the tune shows that it's time to leave. They walked into the lad and walked for a 15-minute walk, past Sammy's seals, big fish, crossed the Lagan River, along Sydenham Road to Odyssey.
Irish fans bring SSE Arena to PFL Belfast. (Carlos Vela/PFL)
(Carlos Vela)Alan Philpott's position at the joint home event felt like a wise nod to the PFL Northern Ireland stage. Rodney Moore was in the corner of Ballymena, who had won under the same roof in an all-Ireland clash with Paul Redmond eight years ago - Hughes became his first bow that night.
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It's not just them, as the arena is surrounded by famous battle northerners. At the start of the event, UFC's Rhys McKee took his place next to the cage. Joe McColgan ran back and forth from the locker room to see his teammates in the game and then returned again to help prepare for the next move. When the main card starts, Caolan Loughran appears in a cage and will soon be announced as the latest signature for the PFL.
I wonder if David Patterson was there, one of the founding fathers of the Irish MMA. It was a strange feeling to see a newly trained professional who had been trained in the elite fighting revolution in Derry after the sport started on the island.
The sound of the heartbeat suddenly pulsates through the speakers, reflecting the adrenaline that is causing in the crowd. Vance appears on the Centerstage, and the first sentence he sang invites the party to join.
Irish singer-songwriter Foy Vance tells Paul Hughes about the SSE Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland. (Josepeã±uela/pfl)
(Josepeã±uela)The roar that erupted from the crowd was like a burning building, with every sound fanning with flames.
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Miranda lay motionless, Hughes climbed up to the cage with both hands and finally climbed onto the cage to taste the moment when the plastic beer mug soared during the celebration.
He paid the audience in just 42 seconds. He grabbed Miranda's kick with his left hand, shoveling his legs with the same limb before returning it to the Brazilian's chin, and then instantly.
It was Hughes' night, and the city moved around him. What he created at PFL Belfast is not a sequel to previous glory, nor is he charged for his proximity to legendary characters. No, the love he received from his people tells the world: "He admires him very much, he is the elite-he represents us. ”
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They visited again when he inevitably called for a rematch with Nurmagomedov, a declaration that dominated headlines around the world.
The climax takes the form of Hughes victory, but the night is still young.
They fell into their capes, from Odyssey, along Sydenham Road, across the River Lagan, over the big fish and seal Sammy, and back to the regular market and dance all night.