Former UFC welterweight champion Matt Hughes is expecting to meet with UFC president Dana White and make his case for at least one more fight in the UFC.
During a Saturday night interview on FUEL TV, Hughes said that while his wife wants him to retire, he has the itch to return to the octagon. Hughes (45-9) has lost each of his last two fights by knockout.
“I think Dana could be the final decision maker,” he said. “My wife’s a great lady, but she’s not going to tell me when Matt Hughes retires.”
Hughes fought just once in 2011, getting KO’d in the last second of the first round of a UFC 135 bout against Josh Koscheck. Prior to that, he suffered another knockout, this one to BJ Penn in just 21 seconds in November 2010. After each of those defeats, he has publicly mulled the possibility of retirement.
Overall, Hughes is just 3-4 in his last seven fights.
The UFC Hall of Famer had one of the most dominant stretches in UFC history during the early-to-mid 2000s, boasting a 19-1 stretch at one point before losing the welterweight title to Georges St-Pierre.
But despite his status as a legend of the sport, Hughes seems to believe it’s no sure thing he’ll be welcomed back. Asked who he might want to fight upon his return, he said his fate is in Dana White’s hands.
“I’m just hoping I can fight next,” he said. “We’ll see what happens. I’m not scouting anybody out. I’m just hoping the opportunity is here for me now.”