PFL Belfast: Kelly vs. Wilson is an upcoming mixed martial arts event produced by the Professional Fighters League that will take place on April 16, 2026, at the SSE Arena in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Fight Card
Main card (ESPN2 / ESPN Deportes)
Lightweight Darragh Kelly vs. Jay-Jay Wilson 155 lbs
Catchweight Rhys McKee vs. Alex Lohoré 176 lbs
Light Heavyweight Dovletdzhan Yagshimuradov vs. Tyson Pedro 205 lbs
Preliminary card (ESPN+)
Welterweight Chris Mixan vs. Eoin Sheridan 170 lbs
Catchweight Pedro Carvalho vs. Sergio Cossio 165 lbs
Welterweight Omran Chaaban vs. Chequina Noso Pedro 170 lbs
Bantamweight Ciarán Clarke vs. Dean Garnett 135 lbs
Bantamweight Caolán Loughran vs. Alan Philpott 135 lbs
Welterweight David Martinez vs. Giannis Bachar 170 lbs
Bantamweight Sean Gauci vs. Liam Gittins 135 lbs
Bantamweight Eoghan Masoliver vs. Shane Mullen 135 lbs
Women's Flyweight Chelsea Hackett vs. Andrea Vázquez 125 lbs
Background
PFL Belfast set for the SSE Arena on April 16 as Paul Hughes returns Against Jay Jay Wilson!
The Professional Fighters League (PFL) has announced its return to Belfast’s SSE Arena on Thursday, April 16, as No. 4 ranked Paul “Big News” Hughes (14-3) competes in front of his home crowd once again, this time opposite the dangerous New Zealander and No. 6 ranked Jay Jay “The Māori Kid” Wilson (11-2) in a lightweight contest.
Hughes is coming off three huge fights in 2025, including two Championship bouts against the PFL Lightweight World Champion and PFL Pound-For-Pound No.1, Usman Nurmagomedov. Their two bouts in Dubai will go down in history as some of the best and most high-level competitive displays of mixed martial arts in PFL. His third fight was a first round knockout within 42 seconds over Brazilian marauder Bruno Miranda at PFL’s first visit to the SSE Arena in Belfast last May, creating an unforgettable experience for the Hughes’ faithful in attendance. Now looking to regain momentum, “Big News” is taking PFL back to his city to remind the world who he is.
Wilson is a dangerous New Zealander who has never been stopped in his 13 professional bouts. With serious power in his hands, and the ability to end a fight on the ground, he has four finishes via KO/TKO and four finishes via submission. With only two losses on his record to elite fighters including undefeated No. 3 Archie Colgan and No. 2 Gadzhi Rabadanov, “The Māori Kid” always comes to fight and aims to separate his opponent from their consciousness. A victory over Hughes will catapult Wilson’s name towards the top of the lightweight division.
The event will mark the promotion's second visit to Belfast and first since PFL Europe 1 (2025) in May 2025.
A lightweight bout between Paul Hughes and Jay-Jay Wilson was originally scheduled to headline the event. However, Hughes withdrew due to a knee injury while training and was replaced by undefeated prospect Darragh Kelly, who was originally slated to fight Sergio Cossio. Cossio's opponent in turn was replaced by Pedro Carvalho.
PFL Belfast: Darragh Kelly vs. Jay-Jay Wilson | PFL Origins
Get an all access look to the PFL Belfast Main Event between Darragh Kelly and Jay Jay Wilson as they prepare to clash inside the PFL cage on April 16th!
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