Paul Hughes reflects on the night he served as the sole cornerman for Ian Machado Garry

On what was arguably the biggest night of his career up to that point, Ian Machado Garry found himself in a challenging situation as he prepared to walk to the cage to vie for a title without a single coach in his corner. The fight in Cage Warriors back in 2021 served as Garry’s graduation before joining the UFC roster, but an ugly split with his now former coaches at Team KF left him without anyone to corner him for his five-round matchup against Jack Grant.

Thankfully, Paul Hughes stepped in to help out. Already attending the card to support a teammate, Hughes, who had recently signed with PFL, accepted the job to corner Garry. Despite not having a prior relationship as coach and fighter, Hughes didn’t hesitate to offer his assistance.

The title fight went the distance, lasting 25 minutes, and Hughes fulfilled his duties between rounds as Garry secured a unanimous decision win. Hughes reflected on the experience, stating that he would never let a fighter walk out alone and shared another instance where he stepped in to corner a fighter he had never met before.

Hughes and Garry have maintained a friendship since that night, with Garry even recommending Hughes to train at Kill Cliff MMA in Florida, where fighters like Michael Chandler and Gilbert Burns train. Hughes plans to continue training at Kill Cliff as he prepares for his upcoming debut at Bellator Dublin on June 22.