[77][79] Both fighters were awarded the Fight of the Night bonus. He still struggles to move and talk as he did prior to the accident, but it has still been a miraculous comeback from the brink of death, merely to survive. I can live with that. Maybe he had a bad day -- it's a matter of circumstances as well. [25] He won his next fight via submission due to strikes. Guess that Hank Williams Jr. was onto something, after all.For a fighter supposedly facing the tail end of his career, UFC hall of famer and multiple time welterweight champion, Matt Hughes, has been opening a lot of eyes lately.Or reopening, as the case seems to be.Only a short while ago, the Illinois native was all but written off in the division he single-handedly put on the map. He even had a late winning streak that showed flashes of the Hughes that helped turn GSP from a contender to a dominant champion. In April, the docuseries received a Sports Emmy Award nomination in the Outstanding Edited Sports Special or Series category. [36] At the start of the third round, Hughes quickly slammed Sakurai to the ground, again staying three minutes on top. A late stand up led to a second takedown by Sherk. In 2007, Hughes participated as a guest coach for long-time friend and training partner, Jens Pulver during The Ultimate Fighter 5 season. Penn at the post-fight interview.[119]. [144] On January 14, 2018, Hughes returned ringside as a guest of honor during UFC Fight Night in St. Sherk was able to stand for a few seconds before Hughes took him down again. In May 2010, Hughes became the eighth inductee into the UFC Hall of Fame. Continuing down that road could offer Hughes some fun fights, but he may not be willing to ride out his career in an imagined feud with MMA's first family. Hallman is 1-1 in his current stint with the UFC, but he's coming off a win over Ben Saunders and this fight could be his last chance at the "big time" fight he's been waiting for his whole career.Except that, like the Matt Serra fight above, this fight really does nothing for Hughes's career or legacy. He was visibly different in the third round, appearing exhausted and missing punches he was landing earlier. [74], Hughes was scheduled to fight Georges St-Pierre in a rematch at UFC 63,[75][76] but after St-Pierre sustained a severe groin injury, the UFC announced that B.J. The song describes and Read More Produced by. At the UFC 56 live broadcast, Joe Rogan said: "My favorite walk-out song in all the UFC, A country boy can survive."[128], Hughes released his autobiography, Made in America: The Most Dominant Champion in UFC History, co-written with Michael Malice,[129] on January 1, 2008. And heres the thing that keeps coming to mind. Shaking hands, signing autographs, being a world title holder and being inducted into the Hall of Fame, this is beyond what I ever would have pictured my life being. Hughes faced BJ Penn on November 20, 2010, in a rubber match at UFC 123: Rampage vs. Machida, after their previous two fights at UFC 46 and UFC 63. Hes been in, or close to, the main event of nearly every card hes been on. [108] On January 9, 2009, Hughes confirmed on his blog that UFC 98 would likely be the day he and Serra met in the Octagon. Unfortunately, with Penn tied up at 155 for the forseeable future, the timing of this fight just doesn't seem likely.Rickson Gracie: If Hughes wants to cement his "Gracie Hunter" image, he needs to go after the big dog. Didnt he get some brain damage in his accident? And formonths, Hughes has pretty much ignored those call outs.If Matt really wants to make a title run in the last act of his career, he's going toneed to answer the ringing phone this time when Bob Cook comes calling. Hughes posted on his blog: "When the fight was over, I was pretty confident I was going to get my hand raised. [19], After graduation Hughes continued wrestling at Eastern Illinois University, where he was a two-time NCAA Division I All-American placing eighth in 1996 and fifth in 1997 at 158lb. Hughes now had four wins over mixed martial artists with ties to the Gracies, including UFC pioneer Royce Gracie, the prior mentioned Renzo Gracie and former champ Serra. [37] He won the fight by technical knockout when he successfully trapped Newton in a modified crucifix position, which allowed him to rain unanswered blows on Newton's face until the referee stopped the contest at 3:27 of round 4. Instead, Hughes completely. - If I get Matt Hughes under my belt and take care of him, even if I would not be considered one of the best ever, I'd have some victories over some guys who will be. I don't have pressure of possibly losing my title. [47] After a tactical grappling match-up early on, Trigg fell victim to a standing rear naked choke at 3:45 of the first round. Matt Hughes - Entrance & Introduction - UFC 79 - A Country Boy Can Survive - Hank Williams I think it's great news for me. Top 25 Post Fight Interviews: #20-#16 09:59. The documentary is a good reflection of Hughes deep-seeded ability to never quit. [110] In the first round, both fighters collided heads, and Hughes got the worst of it. [102] Hughes fought the extension, but with his left hand trapped between the mat and St-Pierre's legs, was forced to submit verbally at 4:54 of the second round. Hughes lost to Alves by TKO at 1:02 of the second round. With forty nine professional fights to his name over a twelve year career, there's no doubt Hughes has some significant mileage on him. Hughes told the audience that White was one of the people who offered to help his family after his accident: Watch Matt Hughes talk about Dana White offering to help his family below: During the event, White said that the documentary does a good job of telling how the horrific accident happened. [77][78] In the process, Hughes became the first man to stop Penn in a fight. I was [also] surprised by the strength difference, and especially when I was on the ground with him. Click an image below for Ring Girl Gallery, Jon Jones scoffs at long layoffs ahead of UFC 285, Stipe Miocic promised winner of Jon Jones vs. Ciryl Gane, Conor McGregor uses UFC 285 Weigh-in to film Road House | VIDEO, Watch Matt Hughes land the ultimate slam on Carlos Newton at UFC 34 (full fight video), Hughes relationship with his wife devolved, UFC 285 Ceremonial Weigh-in Video: Valentina Shevchenko and Alexa Grasso Face-Off, UFC 285 Ceremonial Weigh-in Video: Jon Jones and Ciryl Gane Face-Off, UFC fans welcome Jon Jones back with raucous cheers | VIDEO, UFC President Dana White absolutely believes in ring rust, Charles Oliveira predicts Michael Chandler to KO Conor McGregor, Daniel Cormier offers advice for Jake Pauls next move, Sean OMalley: Jon Jones just knows how to win, Daniel Cormier will call Jon Jones heavyweight title fight. Post-fight Hughes hinted that the loss moved him one step closer to retirement. DC Comics & The New Golden Age #1 Spoilers: The Thirteen Revealed! [120] Penn came out strong in the first few seconds of the opening round, catching one of Hughes's kicks and knocking him off balance with a counter hook. Hughes fought Thiago Alves at UFC 85: Bedlam on June 7, 2008. ). "Country Boy Can Survive: The Story of Matt Hughes' Fight for Survival" is the raw, emotional recounting of the struggle of Hughes and his family from the time that Hughes was still. [46] This event marked the UFC's 10th anniversary. [83] According to both commentator Joe Rogan and Hughes's own autobiography, Hughes was unhappy with St-Pierre's statement. Gracie took all the time he could before Hughes helped him up and then dropped him with a second leg kick. His dominance as welterweight champion still looms large over the head of the current champion, and the man in the discussion as the best fighter on the planet in Georges St. Pierre, and still marks him as one of the dominant champions of the first big era of the UFC. [10][11][12][13], A long-time member of Miletich Fighting Systems, Hughes left the Miletich camp in late 2007 to start Team Hughes. Hughes never liked the idea, however, and considers himself primarily an amateur and submission wrestler.[15]. VID Matt Hughes: Country Boy Can Survive Documentary RaginCajun May 28, 2019 Welcome to our Community Wanting to join the rest of our members? That was all. [87] Nearing the end of the first round, St-Pierre landed a Superman punch, which floored Hughes. This means everything to me. They were working with the Triumph Over Tragedy Foundation to determine next steps for care. Fight one of the AKA TrinityFor months, the American Kickboxing Academy trio of Jon Fitch/Josh Koscheck/Mike Swick have been calling Matt Hughes out in the MMA media. At UFC 60: Hughes vs. Gracie,[70] on May 27, 2006, Hughes defeated Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu legend and UFC Hall of Famer Royce Gracie in a non-title, catch-weight bout by TKO (strikes) at 4:39 of the first round. Marvel Comics & Venom #17 Spoilers & Review: Can Eddie Brock Finally Rid Himself Of Bedlam His Rage Made Flesh If So, Whos Next?! Their rivalry stemmed from the time when Serra was a contestant on The Ultimate Fighter and Hughes was guest coach. [14] His mastery of submissions, and having submission wins over various black belt holders, are the reasons why Joe Rogan thinks he deserved to get a black belt for BJJ. [109], Hughes won the grudge match against Serra at UFC 98 via unanimous decision. -Matt Hughes: "A Country Boy Can Survive" by Hank Williams Jr. -Michael Bisping: "London Calling" by The Clash Follow UFC Ultimate Sound on social to dive deeper into the soundtracks. [24] The slam became his signature move. [110] The back and forth action rewarded both competitors with Fight of the Night honors. Matt Hughes. We dont take it overly serious, and neither should you. [91][92] Despite the fact that after the preliminary round, Team Hughes's record was 26, both Mac Danzig and Tommy Speer of Team Hughes made it to the finals. UFC Hall of Famer Matt Hughes nearly died in a car accident in 2017. Instead of announcing his retirement, like some thought, he asked to be put on the shelf for a while by the UFC. Any fights against a top contender or prospect he hasnt fought already, from Rory McDonald to Jon Fitch, would end in a similar way as his fight against the Ultimate Fighter semi-finalist. Hughes easily avoided any submission attempts and looked far stronger than Castillo. [19], Hughes competed in the prestigious ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship, in which he held a record of 22, beating Ricardo Almeida[20] and Jeremy Horn,[21] and losing to Jeff Monson[22] and Tito Ortiz.[23]. Hughes started the match with a big slam and then began to attack from Castillo's guard with elbows and punches. He constantly had to fight throughout his career, as he did after the accident. To be honest, I don't know what goes on now. Hughes is reaching that point and anything further would be watching Liddell go out on his shield repeatedly. [41], At UFC 42: Sudden Impact, Hughes faced future UFC Lightweight Champion Sean Sherk, winning via unanimous decision. Hughes was in trouble at the beginning of the bout as St-Pierre unloaded a spinning back kick into his ribs. Everything Else (The Really Unlikely Ones)Fourth Fight with GSP: Hughes actually holds a victory over GSP, giving him a shred of a reason to ask for this fight. He has an impressive record of 58 professional fights, with 42 wins.He also holds two submission victories over Matt Hughes, in a combined 38 seconds. Unfortunately for Hughes, it was back when no one was watching. Hughes faced Dennis Hallman in a rematch at UFC 29: Defense of the Belts. At the UFC 56 live broadcast, Joe Rogan said: "My favorite walk-out song in all the UFC, A country boy can survive." Autobiography [93][94] In 2011, Hughes appeared as guest coach during The Ultimate Fighter 13 season for friend and former UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar.[95]. [81] Despite the injury, Penn congratulated Hughes, calling him a great fighter and saying he deserved the victory.[81]. 'A Country Boy Can Survive' documented his comeback and those who were involved along the way. [82], St-Pierre stepped into the ring to promote his upcoming title fight against Hughes, stating that he was glad that Hughes won his fight, but that he was "not impressed" by Hughes's performance. It took his ability to never quit to help him survive the true life-and-death struggle of the accident. Star Trek: Discovery To End With Season 5 In 2024, But Is Star Trek: Academy Season 1 To Follow? Their first two encounterssplit evenlyare two of the most exciting welterweight title fights in UFC history, and there is unfinished business in their feud without a doubt. This past Saturday at UFC 117, he faced tough contender Ricardo Almeida in what was supposed to be a "passing of the torch" fight. I didn't expect that but I also think that had nothing to do with the outcome of the fight. Viewed as a whole, these films form a larger, mosaic narrative of the UFCs amazing evolution, fascinating characters and lasting influence. In a come-from-behind fight, Hughes was caught in a triangle choke by then-champion Carlos Newton, but he lifted Newton in the air and slammed him to the mat,[32] causing Newton to hit his head and lose consciousness just as Hughes was himself on the verge of blacking out from the choke. Hughes has been knocked out twice in successive fashion and one doesnt need to wonder if his chin has the same level of durability it used to. COUNTRY BOY CAN SURVIVE: Matt Hughes' Fight for Survival. [36] Hughes finished the bout in the 4th round, by taking down Sakurai and transitioning to full mount. Hughes took the fight on short notice as a favor to UFC. [114], On May 28, 2010, Hughes was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame. Sign up for the MMA Junkie newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. [121] The bout was ended at 21 seconds into the first round, with Hughes trilogy against Penn ending at 12. [49] Obviously disappointed at the time, St. Pierre admitted afterward that he had lost before he ever stepped into the Octagon. [52] The title was vacated following a contract dispute between Penn and the UFC, which promptly stripped him of the welterweight title, claiming Penn had breached his contract and that the signing constituted him refusing to defend his title. It would be epic. I remember watching Matt Hughes slamming people through the floor. With only a few fights left in his career, does he really want to spend them rematching guys he's already beaten?There's also the "American Gracie Hunter" tag Hughes has been branded with as of late, with crushing stoppage victories over Royce and Renzo Gracie, as well as noted Gracie students Serra and Almeida. [54] He was caught in a very tight triangle choke in the first round,[55] but after winning the second and third rounds, was awarded with the victory. Hughes took GSP down twice and landed a huge slam. [84], On November 18, 2006, at UFC 65: Bad Intentions, Georges St-Pierre defeated Hughes by TKO via strikes at 1:25 of round two, ending Hughes's title reign. He could take interesting fights but anything against a top notch opponent would be disrespectful to the career he worked hard to build. [33] Gracie stalled again, but when he finally stood up Hughes floored him with a punch, let him get up and then attacked again. Unfortunately, Hughes story doesnt yet have the fairy-tail ending that was hoped for in the documentary. Walking away right now saves Hughes from a lot of indignities that a lot of fighters suffer on their way down from the peaks of MMA. Your login session has expired. ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship, Most finishes in UFC Welterweight division, George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame, National Junior College Athletic Association, "Matt Hughes MMA Stats, Pictures, News, Videos, Biography", "Matt Hughes Inducted Into UFC Hall of Fame", "Matt Hughes inducted into UFC Hall of Fame", "A History of MMA's Pound-for-Pound Best", "Remembering Matt Hughes: The Best Fighter Of His Generation May Have Called It Quits", "Who is the Greatest Welterweight of All Time? [53], Hughes faced Penn's training partner Renato Verissimo at UFC 48: Payback, winning via unanimous decision (30-27; 3027; 29-28). Sign up 1 2 3 Next RaginCajun Believe in yourself. [43] In round two, they started to trade punches, but eventually Hughes took Sherk down. Instead, Hughes completely blew Almeida out of the water, choking the 2nd degree BJJ blackbelt out in a little over three minutes time.With that fight, Hughes makes it three victories in a row, and sends a statement to the rest of the division that the old horse isin't about to be dragged out behind the barn just yet.Hughes has said thathe plans to take the remainder of 2010 off, and return to finish the remainder of his contract next year. He is currently two fights into his third stint in the UFC. Penn (Pictures) in rounds one and two to avenge his 2004 loss to the Hawaiian with a come-from-behind TKO win at 3:53 of the third. In order to sell this fight, the UFC would have to make smoke where there really isn't a fire.The best way I could see this working is to put the fight on in Chicagothe closest thing to Matt Hughes's hometown. [7], Fighting Renzo Gracie student and 3rd degree Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Ricardo Almeida, Hughes rendered him unconscious with a Dave Schultz front headlock[115] at 3:15 of round 1, on August 7, 2010, at UFC 117: Silva vs. [68] The armlock earned Hughes his last Tapout of the Night award.[49][66]. We would like to send you notifications for the latest news and updates. Former two-time UFC welterweight champion Matt Hughes suffered a traumatic brain injury in 2017 after the truck he was travelling in was hit by a train. I think Thiago came up with a good game plan.[106]. Director Rory Karpf Star Matt Hughes See production, box office & company info Add to Watchlist Photos Add photo He had regarded Hughes as his idol, not as someone he could beat. [85] In the first round, Hughes sustained two unintentional kicks near the groin; after Hughes went down from the second kick, St-Pierre was given a warning by referee "Big" John McCarthy. Really, really badly. We worked out his game plan before the fight, and he did exactly what we expected. Knocked out by the big hands of Koscheck, Hughes did something curious after the loss. Aside from GSP, he is the only fighter to have beaten Hughes on two separate occasions.So the narrative for this fight writes itself, with an obvious hook: can Hughes finally get one up on the man who has won a fluke submission victory on him twice? 101.5 KGB Wants You To Experience The Celebration Of 100 Years Of Disney At The Disneyland Resort. Get free classic rock music live from a radio station in San Diego, California - 101KGB is an iHeartRadio station and home of The DSC Show with features like classic rock music news, San Diego concerts and shows, funny story jokes, celebrity interviews, Babes & Bikes, hot babes photos and more! [72] The event drew 620,000 buys, becoming the best-selling pay-per-view in UFC history, and was the first to break the $20 million mark in gross PPV sales. 47 Likes, TikTok video from Matt Andries (@mattandries): "built a bike stand. Most people don't start collecting their pension at age thirty-six, after all. Penn filed a motion to stop UFC from awarding a new welterweight title, but that motion was denied. [148] In September 2019, Hughes's attorneys revealed that the brothers had settled the case. In fact, it was Hughes's only loss in his last 19 fights. Matthew Allen Hughes was born on October 13, 1973, in Hillsboro, Illinois. Released in 1982, "A Country Boy Can Survive" became a signature song for Hank Williams Jr., one of the most prolific artists in country music. Originally released in 2018, the compilation of 25 short films was produced to celebrate the UFCs 25th anniversary. Hughes agreed to head coach again for The Ultimate Fighter 6, alongside then-UFC Welterweight Champion, Matt Serra. TheBlue Corneris MMA Junkies blog space. [17] The couple's second daughter was born on January 2, 2010. I could see this fight getting put on at Aloha Stadium in Hawaii, in front of a packed house of 50,000 screaming Penn fans. Fan's Take", "UFC History: 20 Best UFC Fighters Of All-Time", "Ranking Chuck Liddell and the UFC Hall of Fame inductees", Fight Night Goiania Free Fight: Thiago Alves vs. Matt Hughes, "Former Lincoln College Wrestler Matt Hughes to Be Inducted in the NJCAA Wrestling Hall of Fame", "Matt Hughes vs Ricardo Almeida-ADCC 2000", "History of the UFC 12.10.07: UFC XXVI Ultimate Field of Dreams", "History of the UFC 01.07.07: UFC XXIX Defense of the Belts", "History of the UFC 03.03.08: UFC XXXIV High Votlage", "Rampage Jackson and the 6 Most Devastating Slams in MMA History", "The Seven Most Brutal KO Slams in MMA History", "25 Best Championship Fights in UFC History", "History of the UFC 03.24.08: UFC XXXVI Worlds Collide", "Matt Hughes vs. Carlos Newton II, UFC 38", "History of the UFC 05.12.08: UFC XL Vendetta", "History of the UFC 06.09.08: UFC XLII: Sudden Impact", "Sean "The Muscle Shark Sherk MMA Stats, Pictures, New, Videos, Biography", "History of the UFC 07.14.08: UFC XLVI Supernatural", "BJ Penn sues Zuffa over Stripping of Welterweight title", "History of the UFC 08.18.08: UFC XLVI Supernatural", "Top 5 UFC fights in the promotion's modern history", "Top 10 Best MMA Comeback wins of All-Time", "UFC 52: Matt Hughes Survives To Defeat Arch Nemesis Frank Trigg", "Riggs's Failed Weigh-In Makes UFC History", "UFC 56: Hughes vs. Riggs, Franklin vs. Check out this short UFC documentary produced by the UFC. The series was nominated for "Best New Series" in 2015 at the Sportsman's Choice Awards. In an interview with Burt Watson in 2021, Hughes opened up about his therapy and recovery, saying: Matt Hughes' documentary A Country Boy Can Survive aired during the UFC's 25th anniversary. She also has a son from a previous relationship. Over the final three years of high school, he totaled 131 wins against only 2 losses, both during his sophomore year (sophomore 432; junior 430; senior 45-0). I'm really, really happy. - Advertisement -. After Southwestern dropped their wrestling program, Hughes transferred to Lincoln College, where he placed third in the nation, notching a 333 record for the Lynx. Image Comics June 2023 Solicitations Spoilers Sees Battle Chasers FINALLY Return! Hughes will be the guy always held over GSP, too, when it comes to the discussion of that fighters legacy despite GSP finishing Hughes the second two times in their trilogy of fights. [16] Hughes has two siblings, a sister and his twin brother, Mark. After Hughes was decisively knocked off his championship perch by Georges St. Pierre, his days as an elite level welterweight seemed to be over. Hughes made his mixed martial arts debut on January 1, 1998, at Joe Goytia's JKD Challenge. " A Country Boy Can Survive " is a song written and recorded by American musician Hank Williams Jr. UFC confirmed the fight. The former fighter failed to notice an oncoming train due to the absence of railroad crossing signs in the area. The fight marked the first time Hughes had been knocked out (he had previously lost via technical knockout). Get exclusive pro wrestling content on Fightful Select, our premium news service! Pull List Roundtable 6/29/2022 Avengers, Superman, X-Men, Batman & More. This past Saturday at UFC 117, he faced tough contender Ricardo Almeida in what was supposed to be a "passing of the torch" fight. Hughes has been criticized by animal advocates, including former UFC fighter and commentator Dan Hardy, for his trophy hunting. Planet Hank 710K views 2. Sing A Country Boy Can Survive in the Style of "Hank Williams, Jr.". Penn and Koscheck both caught Hughes with big shots, of course, but there are only a certain amount of times you can be knocked out in combat sports before you lose any durability. [141][142] On June 18, Hughes's family released a statement that he had no broken bones or internal injuries but was unconscious and unresponsive. The official description, courtesy of the UFC: Matt Hughes was a dominant UFC champion, but after his hall of fame career came to a close, he faced his toughest fight ever, this time, for his very survival. [57] The submission earned Hughes his second Tapout of the Night. Perhaps none of the movies were more cutting and moving than the story of UFC Hall of Famer Matt Hughes and his struggle to survive a horrific accident. [34], He successfully defended his championship belt at UFC 36: Worlds Collide, defeating former Shooto Middleweight Champion Hayato Sakurai via TKO due to strikes at 3:01 of the fourth round. [49], Hughes's next fight took place at UFC 56: Full Force, where he was scheduled to fight Judo practitioner Karo Parisyan. There has been a critical error on this website. There's nothing more I can say about it.[103]. https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2019/05/ufc-25-video-country-boy-can-survive-the-story-of-matt-hughes-fight-for-survival. Though he teetered on the edge of death, Hughes somehow won the biggest fight of his life, and has slowly been working on his recovery. Discussion in 'UFC Discussion' started by kore, May 11, 2020. The song was released as a single in January 1982 and reached a peak of number 2 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart in March 1982. UFC 25 Years in Short premiered on UFC Fight Pass in fall of 2018, so the time is right to showcase it to a new audience, UFC senior vice president of production and programming Chris Kartzmark stated. Louis. This compilation of short films presents 25 captivating UFC stories, one for each year of existence, and every piece stands alone as an independent feature. [116], It's an old-school wrestling move. In the future there are guys like GSP and Matt Hughes, who I'm sure are going to be hall-of-famers Serra said before the event. [42] Hughes started the action by taking Sherk down immediately, passing to half guard. I've been good at it. Here are the most interesting and attractive options for the farmboy for his "Farewell Tour 2011". [33] This was confirmed by Hughes himself upon reviewing the tape of the match Hughes can be heard telling his corner after the fight "I was out". 803. Originally airing on UFC FIGHT PASS, UFC 25 Years in Short is a 25-part documentary series celebrating the UFC silver anniversary. As he passed to half guard, Castillo was bleeding above his left eye. [67], I'm not disappointed. The result was announced as a KO. Hughes said that they "had words" off-camera shortly thereafter. [73], It just seemed like I was a step ahead of him. I didn't even know Matt Hughes was in a horrific accident that almost killed him, until I saw him speak at a UFC Fight last year. Matt Hughes was a dominant UFC champion, but after his hall of fame career came to a close, he faced his toughest fight ever, this time, for his very survival. Copyright 2023 Fightful, Inc. All Rights Reserved. In the third round, Hughes unsuccessfully tried an armbar again before the horn sounded. Instead, it was his" ring age" that seemed to finally have caught up to the former champion. Matt Hughes was a dominant UFC champion, but after his hall of fame career came to a close, he faced his toughest fight ever, this time, for his very survival. [114] Both of them seemed very comfortable fighting on their feet in the early going, with Gracie landing the cleaner and more effective punches and also landing a couple of kicks. Going into UFC 135, Matt Hughes had a lot of questions to answer about his future in MMA. If you come complaining to us that something you read here is not hard-hitting news, expect to have the previous sentence repeated in ALL CAPS. After nearly two minutes of struggling, Hughes broke free, picked Trigg up, carried him across the Octagon and slammed him to the ground. Matt Hughes can walk away from MMA as one of the great welterweights, and one of the best fighters, who has ever walked the planet. Hughes placed fifth in the nation at 158lb. UFC 285 takes place Saturday inLas Vegas, and you can discuss the event here. [99] Despite his best efforts, Hughes was unable to mount a serious offense on St-Pierre, who easily avoided Hughes's takedown attempts, while taking Hughes down at will and using Hughes's own ground-and-pound style against him. Win Tickets to Jimmy Buffett and the Coral Reefer Band at the New Snapdragon Stadium, Win Tickets To See Guns N' Roses at Snapdragon Stadium. Riggs failed to make weight (172.5 lbs). [18] During his junior and senior years, Matt went undefeated and won back-to-back state championships in the 145lb class. [105] He stated in his blog: Thiago came in big, some people told me that he looked bigger than me in the octagon. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. [124] Hughes suffered a KO loss to Koscheck at 4:59 of the first round. Marvel Comics & Hallows Eve #1 Spoilers & Review: Dark Web Standout Crawls Out From Under Chasm & The Amazing Spider-Mans Shadows! [131], Since January 2011, Hughes is the host of hunting program Trophy Hunters TV, which airs in Outdoor Channel three times a week. I was really surprised. After the match Newton stated that he felt the reason Hughes fell to the mat was because he was rendered unconscious from the triangle choke. Matt Hughes can walk away with his head high from MMA; if he can survive as a professional fighter for a long time, a country boy can survive into retirement with his head held high as one of the best fighters to hook em up., Click to learn about our free newsletter, The Pulse.

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