British MMA star Brendan Loughnane dreaming of bringing army of fans over to Las Vegas like boxing icon Ricky Hatton

BRENDAN LOUGHNANE is dreaming of bringing his army of Mancunian fans over to Las Vegas – just like boxing icon Ricky Hatton.

British hero Hatton could have sold out Sin City’s most famous venues four times over during his heyday.

Professional Fighters League star Brendan LoughnaneCredit: Getty

Ricky Hatton during his Las Vegas fight with Manny PacquiaoCredit: News Group Newspapers Ltd

The former two-weight world champion, now 43, also packed out arenas in Manchester.

It is the kind of fanfare Professional Fighters League featherweight Loughnane is building towards – and he wants to take it Stateside.

Loughnane, 32, told SunSport: “I’ve had it into the hundreds in Vegas and various parts of the States.

“The goal now is to get into the thousands like them guys did. That’s the goal.

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Watch as Brit MMA star scores KO leaving opponent out cold in PFL bout

“I’m pretty good friends with Anthony Crolla as well and he used to do the same at Manchester Arena, sell out with roaring Mancunians.

“That’s always been the goal, of course it’s always been the goal and if I can get half of what those two had, I’d be over the moon.”

Loughnane last year signed with PFL and entered their winner-take-all season where a $1million cash prize awaits the winner.

The PFL is MMA’s only league format, spanning over a regular season and play-offs.

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Fighters in eight different weight classes enter the two-fight regular season where they compete to advance to the play-offs.

That consists of a two-round quarter-final and three-round semi-final in one night, where the winner advances to the championship finale.

Last season, Loughnane beat Sheymon Moraes and Tyler Diamond but was knocked out by eventual winner Movlid Khaybulaev.

The Brit lost by narrow split-decision and he is ready to right the wrong this time around.

Loughnane said: “Last year I missed it by a whisker, I went in there with a 19-0 Russian, I went in there with one hand, I was medically told to pull out.

“Everyone told me to pull out but I still went through with it and put in a good account of myself.

“So I think this year going into it I’ve already fought the toughest guy PFL has to offer.

“And 100 per cent healthy, I don’t think anyone beats me this year.”

Brendan Loughnane was beaten by Movlid Khaybulaev last seasonCredit: Cooper Neill / PFL

Loughnane joins the featherweights again and will kick off his season against Japan’s Ryoji Kudo tomorrow Texas, live on Channel 4.

And with only four fights standing in his way of a life-changing $1m cheque, the bouts come thick and fast.

Loughnane said: “Fighting every six weeks brings its own challenges, it’s really difficult, last year I found it extremely difficult to adapt to.

“I feel like going into this season now, I’m very well prepared for it. Definitely it takes some conditioning to.

“I can see why the majority of winners are all ex-seasoned guys who have done it before, because it takes a lot out of you.”

Having come so close last season, only to lose in the last four, Loughnane is adamant now is the time to take home the belt and mega-bucks.

He added: “I’m 32 now, I feel like my body is at its physical peak and the best condition it will be in my whole athletic career.

“I think now is the time to win the million and the title.”

Brendan Loughnane returns for the 2021 PFL seasonCredit: PFL

Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk

British MMA star Brendan Loughnane dreaming of bringing army of fans over to Las Vegas like boxing icon Ricky Hatton

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Watch as Brit MMA star scores KO leaving opponent out cold in PFL bout

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