Cage Warriors: 'It's hard to celebrate' - Paul Hughes becomes champion

Paul Hughes is aiming to step up to UFC after his latest win

Paul Hughes has said he "wishes it was someone else" after he defeated Jordan Vucenic to become Cage Warriors featherweight world champion.

Their rematch on Friday was billed as the biggest in Cage Warriors history and Hughes is aiming to step up to UFC.

"It was, I'm not going to lie," said an emotional Hughes when asked if it was hard to celebrate his win.

"It's a long journey and I feel like I relate to that man more than 99.9% of people on this planet."

England's Vucenic beat Hughes two years ago via split decision to end the 25-year-old's six-fight unbeaten streak.

Since that, however, they had both gone on to become champions, with Vucenic beating Morgan Charriere for the featherweight title and Hughes later defeating the same opponent for the interim belt.

Both men had overcome adversity ahead of Friday's rematch in London - Vucenic lost his brother and father at the age of seven and says his experiences as a child have moulded him as a man and a parent.

Irish fighter Hughes has battled against the odds after injury almost ended his career before it had even started, and his victory on means he is in a prime position to move up to UFC.

• Hughes plans to follow in footsteps of Conor McGregor

"He's got a young family and is just trying to make it in this game like I am," Hughes added.

"I saw his coaches and how heartbroken they were, and I just know if the roles were reversed how hard that would be for my team because they are just like family.

"It's the fight game, unfortunately. I just wish it was someone else who I had to take it away from because I love the guy. Competition is competition but I love Jordan. He is just like Paul Hughes.

"This is why I feel so bad. There are a few fights for Jordan to get back now, but that would have been me. I've no doubt he is going to smoke anyone and he will get there.

"In MMA, we don't make much money, and that goes from the bottom to the top. People don't understand that. We are scraping by.

"To make that harder for a man with a young family....it's not an easy game."

Hughes takes charge of rematch

Hughes becomes the first Irish fighter since UFC superstar Conor McGregor to hold the Cage Warriors featherweight title.

The win takes Hughes' record to 9-1, with the Lavey man avenging his only previous loss to Vucenic.

There was little to separate the two men in the first round but Hughes started to assert his dominance in the second after a head kick stumbled Vucenic and forced the Englishman to look for a take down. Hughes got the dominant position and controlled the majority of the round on his opponent's back.

At the end of the third round, Hughes almost stopped Vucenic after dropping his opponent following a body shot and knee to the head, but the champion was saved by the buzzer at the end of the round.

Hughes picked up where he left off in the fourth, dropping Vucenic with a combination of punches opening up cuts on the face of his 26-year-old opponent.

Vucenic was able to survive and, after the fight doctor examined his face, he was cleared to continue for the final round.

Hughes continued to dominate in the fifth, forcing Vucenic to survive after landing a vicious combination. Hughes saw out the contest on top, further damaging his opponent's face with elbows before ensuring victory.

Hughes added that "I have to get that UFC contract now" and said, "Cage Warriors? Completed it".

"I think it was the biggest fight in Cage Warriors history. It did have it all. The storyline, the common opponents, the fight that was so close.

"You had the two best featherweights in all of Europe, and two guys who should probably be in the UFC right now.

"It's been a crazy year for me, a really crazy year.

"The neck injury in March really hurt me. Physically, of course, but mentally it really hurt me. It was a serious injury and the fact people were throwing dirt on my name.

"This has been the most trying time of my career, but adversity makes you and this was the most nervous I had ever been for a fight.

"But everyone feels fear, every man feels fear but it's how you deal with it is what separates you. Everything was on the line."