County Derry MMA fighter Paul Hughes shares victory with Cristiano Ronaldo

County Derry’s Paul Hughes posed with footballing superstar Cristiano Ronaldo after his career-defining victory on Saturday.

In an incredible performance on the undercard of Francis Ngannou's much-anticipated return at PFL Super Fights: Battle of the Giants in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the Irish fighter stunned the crowd as, against all odds, Hughes bested former Bellator MMA featherweight champion AJ McKee.

The Lavey man was involved in a fight that went the distance, with the judges awarding Hughes the victory with scores of 29-28, 28-29, and 29-28, enhancing his record to an impressive 13-1.

While Hughes will have been focused entirely on his performance, the ringside presence of five-time Ballon d'Or winner Ronaldo added to the night’s excitement for many neutrals.

The Portuguese legend, who currently plays with Saudi Pro League side Al Nassr, immortalised the moment with a photograph alongside Hughes post-fight, which the Irishman proudly shared on Instagram, captioning, "Cherry on top there. Great to meet you, @cristiano."

Hughes immediately called out the reigning Bellator lightweight champion, Usman Nurmagomedov, in a bold statement following his victory, as he looks to edge his way closer to becoming a champion in the sport.

The night saw the return to the octagon for Ngannou after two high-profile boxing matches, against Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua.

The Cameroonian fighter ensured he shared in the celebratory feeling of the Irish fighter as he secured a knockout victory in the first round against his opponent Renan Ferreira.

The former Manchester United and Real Madrid star was seen talking to Ngannou after his victory in Saudi Arabia.