Brendan Loughnane Talks About The “Real Time Off” He Took Following His Title Win Last Season

This coming weekend, the 2022 PFL featherweight champion, Brendan Loughnane, will return to the SmartCage where he will face UFC veteran, Marlon Moraes.

Although this technically won’t be a title defence, it will be the first time Loughnane has fought since winning the $1 million last year, as well as the PFL Gold belt. Moraes has formerly fought under the World Series Of Fighting banner, now turned PFL, so this experience won’t be anything new to him.

Despite the recent demise in the Brazilian’s career, there is no doubt that he is an elite level fighter, and the names he has been in the cage with are some of the best the world of MMA has to offer.

The Mancunian, Loughnane, is a fighter that even when he isn’t locked into a fight camp, he is constantly training and trying to improve his game by surrounding himself with some of the best fighters in the world. Most of Loughnane’s camp resides in Thailand where he trains with the likes of Darren Till, Muhammad Mokaev and Khamzat Chimaev. He admitted, after winning the $1 million last year, he took some ‘real time off’, something he has never done in his professional career.

“I had some real real time off this time I really did. I actually forgot about fighting for a little bit which is very unlike me and it’s something I’ve not done in 16 years of being in this sport so it was nice to really de-load, take in the moment and enjoy it.

I feel really refreshed and revitalised for this season.” Loughnane said at the PFL 1 Virtual Press Conference.

The 33-year-old detailed how he spent his time off and how he ticked something off his bucket list that’s been on there for a while.

“I drove route 66, that was my first little investment it was brilliant, it was on my bucket list.” Loughnane said.

The PFL have this year made their inaugural push into the European MMA market, starting their ‘PFL Europe’ season. Last weekend, they made their first stop off in Newcastle with a card headlined by Brit, Simeon Powell.

Loughnane spoke about how much it means to him to be able to spearhead the PFL’s push into the European fight scene.

He said: “I’m just really happy that it’s grown to that level now that they’ve expanded into this (Europe) side of the world. I always told them that it would work over there and we went to London and sold it out, it was a sick show, and then now they’ve done a Newcastle and I’m just so glad that they’ve broadened their horizons and that we’re growing together.”