Tag: Matt Hughes

UFC News: Matt Hughes Feels Chael Sonnen Will Lose to Silva Again in Rematch

Former UFC welterweight champion Matt Hughes feels MMA’s favorite bad guy, Chael Sonnen, will once again be defeated by UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva at UFC 147. Hughes feels Sonnen has a one-dimensional path to victory that didn’t work…

Former UFC welterweight champion Matt Hughes feels MMA‘s favorite bad guy, Chael Sonnen, will once again be defeated by UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva at UFC 147. 

Hughes feels Sonnen has a one-dimensional path to victory that didn’t work the first time, so it won’t work a second time. 

“I don’t think Chael can switch it up as much,” Hughes told MMA Junkie on Monday. “I don’t think he can do much different, to be real honest. That’s what he does, and that’s what he’s going to do again, probably.”

The Hillsboro, Illinois native also expects a more prepared champion to be a dangerous thing for “Uncle Chael.” 

“And Anderson will be more ready for it this time than he was last time, so we’ll see Chael maybe getting hit a few more times this time.”

Interestingly, Hughes does not attribute “The Spider’s” rib injury to the success the fellow All-American collegiate wrestler had in the first fight at UFC 117. 

“Nobody goes out there 100 percent,” Hughes said on the set of UFC Tonight on FUEL TV. “It just doesn’t happen. So he might have been injured, but in the middle of a fight, you’re not sitting there thinking about your rib. You’re just not.”

At the end of the day, Hughes reiterated Sonnen’s wrestling and top control will be too predictable to work against the versatile Silva a second time. 

“I don’t think Anderson being any healthier is going to help [Sonnen],” he said. “I just think he’s going to know what Chael is going to do, and he’s going to be ready for it. I don’t see how Chael could mix it up and be more effective than the last time.”

Sonnen has been trash talking Silva almost non-stop since months before their August 2010 meeting, but many argue he backed up his words by giving the champion all he could handle for four-and-a-half rounds. 

“The Gangster from Oregon” was decisively winning the fight on all three judges’ scorecards before Silva slapped on a triangle choke with less than two minutes remaining in the fight. 

The next UFC middleweight title challenger called out Hughes in a July 2011 interview with Ariel Helwani when discussing pound-for-pound rankings. 

“The pound-for-pound does not exist but just in this pretend world. Jose Aldo has made it all the way to number three? … The same guy that was given the UFC championship belt before he ever fought in the UFC. The only thing more absurd than that was the night they woke Matt Hughes up and informed him that he was champion.”

Sonnen is referring to when Hughes defeated Carlos Newton for the UFC welterweight title way back at UFC 34. 

Newton locked up a tight triangle choke in the second round, which Hughes countered with a power bomb. While both fighters were rendered unconscious, Hughes woke up first and was crowned the new 170-pound king. 

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The 15 Lamest Event Names in MMA History

After a contract dispute kept him outside of the Octagon for nearly a year, long-time light-heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz would make his return to the UFC at UFC 44. In his absence, Randy Couture defeated Chuck Liddell to become the interim light-hea…

After a contract dispute kept him outside of the Octagon for nearly a year, long-time light-heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz would make his return to the UFC at UFC 44. In his absence, Randy Couture defeated Chuck Liddell to become the interim light-heavyweight champion. With two champions, there was controversy as to which man was the best in the world.

UFC 44: “Undisputed” was an aptly-titled event. The main contest was about bragging rights and removing all questions. When the night was over, Randy Couture would no longer be an interim champion. He would be the Undisputed champion of the world.

Unfortunately, due to a lack of intricate backstory or history between opponents, not all MMA events are given such fitting names. Commonly, promoters will use alliteration to make the name catchier, like Victory in Vegas or Battle on the Boardwalk. While it may not be the most clever promotional tactic, it is acceptable.

This is a list at some of the unacceptable, unoriginal and unfitting names that fight promoters have slapped onto their events. Some of them are laughable, while some are just plain sad.

You be the judge.

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Matt Hughes Says Carlos Condit Has The Right to Wait for Georges St-Pierre

Carlos Condit’s decision to wait for Georges St-Pierre to heal and return to action has been of much debate lately, but UFC Hall of Famer Matt Hughes is one of the few people who supports the UFC interim welterweight champion.The former UFC welterweigh…

Carlos Condit’s decision to wait for Georges St-Pierre to heal and return to action has been of much debate lately, but UFC Hall of Famer Matt Hughes is one of the few people who supports the UFC interim welterweight champion.

The former UFC welterweight champion sounded off on the topic on Tuesday night’s edition of UFC Tonight.

Hughes said Condt should have the final say on who he should fight next, whether it be St-Pierre or another opponent.

“If he needs the paycheck, he should do it. If he wants to wait for the title shot, he’s earned it,” Hughes said. “Let him wait. GSP is tough. I don’t think anyone could (beat him).”

A former two-time divisional champion, Hughes was last seen competing at UFC 135, where he suffered a knockout loss to Josh Koscheck. It was his second consecutive defeat.

At the moment, Hughes is unsure of whether he will make one final UFC appearance. UFC welterweight Dan Hardy has recently proposed a possible meeting, but the former welterweight champion appears more interested in a rematch with Thiago Alves. The Brazilian defeated Hughes at UFC 85 in 2008. 

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Matt Hughes Says Dana White Will Decide If He Fights Again

Matt Hughes is a legend of the fighting game. Because of that, he’s earned the right to decide when he walks away from the sport for good.But as Hughes told MMAjunkie.com prior to taping last night’s episode of UFC Tonight, the decision is isn’t up to …

Matt Hughes is a legend of the fighting game. Because of that, he’s earned the right to decide when he walks away from the sport for good.

But as Hughes told MMAjunkie.com prior to taping last night’s episode of UFC Tonight, the decision is isn’t up to him. It’s not even up to his wife, who has repeatedly told Hughes over the previous 12 months that she’d like her husband to retire and come home to the farm.

“She wants me to retire from fighting so fighting doesn’t retire me,” Hughes said. 

That’s not the way she put it, he adds. Somebody else told him that, but the point is the same. She gets worried and doesn’t want to see her husband hurt.  

“And I see where she’s coming from,” Hughes said. “She didn’t grow up like I did. She’s a city girl, not rough at all. I grew up on a farm with a twin brother. We grew up beating each other up.”

The decision rests with UFC President Dana White, Hughes said. White has noted in the past that he’d like Hughes to retire soon, but Hughes said the decision hasn’t been made and that he hasn’t heard from White regarding the end of his career.

“I’m at a crossroads between fighting another fight or retirement,” he said, adding that a decision will come “soon.” “I’m 38, and I keep getting older, and the fighters keep staying the same age. I wanted the fall and spring off, and now it’s time to talk with DW.”

I’ve heard rumblings that Hughes may be slotted for a fight against Yoshihiro Akiyama later in the summer. If that’s the case, it would be a great fight for both men. Akiyama probably should’ve been cut already, but the UFC likes guys who go out there and put on exciting fights, and that weighs heavily in his favor.

A loss to Hughes would certainly spell the end of his UFC run, though.

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Wednesday Morning MMA Link Club: Dominick Cruz Goes Hard, Tosh.0?s MMA Redemption, Ronda Rousey’s Violent Past + More


(Don’t forget: Submissions for our Urijah Faber t-shirt design contest with Punch Buddies must be sent to [email protected] by the end of today. Good luck! / California Kid action figure via Ben S.)

Some selected highlights from our friends around the MMA blogosphere…

– TUF 15: Number One Pick Justin Lawrence Looks to Back Up the Hype Against Cristiano Marcello (MMA Mania)

– Inside Dominick Cruz’s Training Camp for UFC 148 Fight With Urijah Faber (Video) (Lowkick.Blitzcorner.com)

– Dan Hardy Wants To Fight ‘That Blood Thirsty Kill Freak’ Matt Hughes (MMA Convert)

– Remember the Guy Who Got Choked Out by a Girl? Tosh.0 Is Giving Him a Shot at Redemption (MiddleEasy)

– Jon Jones On Rashad Evans Having His Number: ‘He Doesn’t Even Have My Area Code’ (FightLine)

– Bryan Caraway Wouldn’t Be First Guy Ronda Rousey Has Beaten Up (Video) (5th Round)

– Jose Aldo Says He Will Move to 155 Pounds If Frankie Edgar Doesn’t Drop Down (BleacherReport.com/MMA)

– Josh Barnett Feels TRT Exemptions Don’t Make Sense (The Fight Nerd)

– Cameras Follow “Mayhem” Miller for Morgan Spurlock Documentary (Five Ounces of Pain)

– Hitman-TapouT Lawsuit Heating Up (MMA Payout)

– Mike Kogan Has Had Enough of Rampage’s UFC Complaints (Fight Opinion)


(Don’t forget: Submissions for our Urijah Faber t-shirt design contest with Punch Buddies must be sent to [email protected] by the end of today. Good luck! / California Kid action figure via Ben S.)

Some selected highlights from our friends around the MMA blogosphere…

– TUF 15: Number One Pick Justin Lawrence Looks to Back Up the Hype Against Cristiano Marcello (MMA Mania)

– Inside Dominick Cruz’s Training Camp for UFC 148 Fight With Urijah Faber (Video) (Lowkick.Blitzcorner.com)

– Dan Hardy Wants To Fight ‘That Blood Thirsty Kill Freak’ Matt Hughes (MMA Convert)

– Remember the Guy Who Got Choked Out by a Girl? Tosh.0 Is Giving Him a Shot at Redemption (MiddleEasy)

– Jon Jones On Rashad Evans Having His Number: ‘He Doesn’t Even Have My Area Code’ (FightLine)

– Bryan Caraway Wouldn’t Be First Guy Ronda Rousey Has Beaten Up (Video) (5th Round)

– Jose Aldo Says He Will Move to 155 Pounds If Frankie Edgar Doesn’t Drop Down (BleacherReport.com/MMA)

– Josh Barnett Feels TRT Exemptions Don’t Make Sense (The Fight Nerd)

– Cameras Follow “Mayhem” Miller for Morgan Spurlock Documentary (Five Ounces of Pain)

– Hitman-TapouT Lawsuit Heating Up (MMA Payout)

– Mike Kogan Has Had Enough of Rampage’s UFC Complaints (Fight Opinion)

MMA: Dan Hardy vs Matt Hughes: Would Anyone Care?

In random rivalry news, British slugger Dan Hardy made it clear in a recent interview with MMA Weekly Radio that he has a disliking for UFC hall-of-famer Matt Hughes and would love to meet the legend in the octagon.The timing of Hardy’s call out is odd…

In random rivalry news, British slugger Dan Hardy made it clear in a recent interview with MMA Weekly Radio that he has a disliking for UFC hall-of-famer Matt Hughes and would love to meet the legend in the octagon.

The timing of Hardy’s call out is odd to say the least as the fighter is currently on a four-fight losing streak and will certainly be fighting for his job when he faces Duane Ludwig at UFC 146.

Is Dan Hardy already posturing for an extra fight should he lose to Ludwig?

The UFC rarely matches a winner against a loser, so even if Hardy is able to win, this fight still makes no sense as the aging Hughes is currently riding a two-fight losing streak himself in which he showed his chin isn’t what it used to be.

Hughes has paid his dues and he deserves a chance to leave the sport on a high note, but is this really the retirement fight that Hughes has in mind? Hughes hasn’t publicly responded to Hardy’s comments as of yet but with Hardy’s lack of wrestling it would certainly present Hughes with a beatable opponent.

Hughes is a legend of the sport, but his days of being a main draw are long gone. Hughes hasn’t headlined a card since 2008 and its clear that his next fight will certainly be his last.

Hardy didn’t go too much into detail as to why he doesn’t like Hughes other than to say he was a “blood thirsty kill freak.”

Nothing sells in MMA quite like a personal beef between fighters and Hardy has a history of being able to sell fights but given how irrelevant he has become and the overall irrelevancy of both fighters, is this a fight that MMA fans could really get excited about?

Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com