| Matt Hughes | |
|---|---|
.png) Hughes in 2007 | |
| Born | Matthew Allen Hughes (1973-10-13)October 13, 1973 (age 52) Hillsboro, Illinois, U.S. |
| Height | 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) |
| Weight | 170 lb (77 kg; 12 st 2 lb) |
| Division | Welterweight |
| Reach | 73 in (185 cm) |
| Style | Wrestling |
| Fighting out of | Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Team | Miletich Fighting Systems (1998–2007)[1] Finney's HIT Squad (2007–present)[2] |
| Wrestling | NCAADivision IWrestling |
| Years active | 1998–2011 |
| Mixed martial arts record | |
| Total | 54 |
| Wins | 45 |
| By knockout | 21 |
| By submission | 14 |
| By decision | 10 |
| Losses | 9 |
| By knockout | 5 |
| By submission | 4 |
| Other information | |
| University | Eastern Illinois University Lincoln College Southwestern Illinois College |
| Notable relatives | Mark Hughes (twin brother) |
| Mixed martial arts record fromSherdog | |
| Official UFC Fighter Profile[3] | |
Matthew Allen Hughes (born October 13, 1973)[4] is an American retiredmixed martial artist with a background inwrestling. Widely considered among the greatest fighters in the history ofMMA, he is a former two-timeUFC Welterweight Champion,UFC Hall of Fame inductee, andNJCAA Hall of Fame inductee.[5] During his ventures in theUltimate Fighting Championship, Hughes put together two six-fight winning streaks defeating all of the available opposition in thewelterweight division. In May 2010, Hughes became the eighth inductee into theUFC Hall of Fame.[6][7][8]
During his reign, Hughes was considered the #1pound-for-poundmixed martial artist in the world.[9] He was also regarded by many analysts and several media outlets as one of the greatest welterweight fighters of all time, as well as one of the greatest pound-for-pound fighters in the sport's history.[10][11][12][13]
A long-time member ofMiletich Fighting Systems, Hughes left the Miletich camp in late 2007 to start Team Hughes.[1] In 2008, Hughes published his autobiography,Made in America, which made theNew York Times bestseller list. In 2011, Hughes became host ofOutdoor Channel'sTrophy Hunters TV. Hughes has no nickname, although because of his successes againstGracieBrazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) practitioners such asRoyce Gracie,Renzo Gracie,Ricardo Almeida, andMatt Serra, people often refer to him as "the Gracie Killer" (the same asSakuraba's nickname).[14] His mastery of submissions, and having submission wins over various black belt holders, are the reasons whyJoe Rogan thinks he deserved to get a black belt for BJJ. Hughes never liked the idea, however, and considers himself primarily an amateur and submission wrestler.[15]
Matthew Allen Hughes was born on October 13, 1973, inHillsboro, Illinois.[16] Hughes has two siblings, a sister and his twin brother,Mark. During high school they both participated infootball andwrestling.[17] Hughes went toSouthwestern Illinois College in Belleville, Illinois, before transferring toLincoln College, inLincoln, Illinois and then on toEastern Illinois University inCharleston, Illinois.
Hughes was a two-time 145 lbIHSA Class A state wrestling champion. He won in 1991 and 1992 while attendingHillsboro High School.[18] During hisjunior andsenior years, Matt went undefeated and won back-to-back state championships in the 145 lb class. Over the final three years of high school, he totaled 131 wins against only 2 losses, both during hissophomore year (sophomore 43–2; junior 43–0; senior 45–0).[17]
His college career started atSouthwestern Illinois College. Hughes placed fifth in the nation at 158 lb. After Southwestern dropped their wrestling program, Hughes transferred toLincoln College, where he placed third in the nation, notching a 33–3 record for the Lynx.[19]
After graduation Hughes continued wrestling atEastern Illinois University, where he was a two-timeNCAA Division IAll-American placing eighth in 1996 and fifth in 1997 at 158 lb. He finished with an 80–15 record for Eastern Illinois.[19]
Hughes competed in the prestigiousADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship, in which he held a record of 2–2, beatingRicardo Almeida[20] andJeremy Horn,[21] and losing toJeff Monson[22] andTito Ortiz.[23]
Hughes made his mixed martial arts debut on January 1, 1998, at Joe Goytia's JKD Challenge. He slammed his opponent to the ground in just fifteen seconds, winning via KO.[24] The slam became his signature move.[25] He won his next fight via submission due to strikes. Hughes fought three times at Extreme Challenge 21, on October 17, 1998, defeating Victor Hunsaker via TKO and futureUFC Middleweight ChampionDave Menne via unanimous decision. In the third fight of that night he lost to then-undefeatedDennis Hallman by technical submission (guillotine choke) at 0:17 of the first round. The result was announced as a KO.[26] In the process, Hallman handed Hughes his first professional defeat.
Hughes made his promotional debut atUFC 22: There Can Be Only One Champion, on September 24, 1999, defeatingBulgarian Valeri Ignatov via unanimous decision after three rounds.[27]
He returned to the promotion atUFC 26: Ultimate Field of Dreams, where he defeatedMarcelo Aguiar via TKO, throwing some elbows which cut Aguiar and forced the doctor to end the match.[28] The stoppage came at 4:34 of the first round.
Hughes facedDennis Hallman in a rematch atUFC 29: Defense of the Belts.[29] At this point in their careers, Hallman was the only man to have defeated Hughes in MMA competition. Hughes lost the fight viaarmbar in only twenty seconds. When the bout started, Hughes lifted and brutally slammed Hallman to the mat, but was caught in the submission after landing in side-control.[30]
Hughes won his first UFC World Welterweight title atUFC 34: High Voltage[31] on November 2, 2001. In a come-from-behind fight, Hughes was caught in atriangle choke by then-championCarlos 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. 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.[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".[33]The result was officially announced as a KO at 1:27 of the second round. The slam is considered to be one of the greatest inMMA history.[34]
He successfully defended his championship belt atUFC 36: Worlds Collide, defeating formerShooto Middleweight ChampionHayato Sakurai via TKO due to strikes at 3:01 of the fourth round.[35] In the first round of the fight, Hughes spent all the time either clinching Sakurai up against the fence, or ripping his feet out from under him.[36] In round 2, Sakurai landed a right hand that sent Hughes to the mat; despite this, Matt won the round by spending three minutes hitting Sakurai with elbows from the top position.[36] At the start of the third round, Hughes quickly slammed Sakurai to the ground, again staying three minutes on top. He looked too strong for Sakurai.[36] Hughes finished the bout in the 4th round, by taking down Sakurai and transitioning tofull mount. After one minute ofground-and-pound onslaught, the contest was over as Sakurai had no answer for the champion.[36]
Hughes facedCarlos Newton in their rematch at the main event ofUFC 38: Brawl at the Hall, in the promotion's debut in theUnited Kingdom.[37] He won the fight by technical knockout when he trapped Newton in a modifiedcrucifix position, which allowed him to rain unanswered blows on Newton's face until the referee stopped the contest at 3:27 of round 4.[38][39]
In his next title defense, Hughes foughtGil Castillo atUFC 40: Vendetta,[40] defeating the formerMiddleweight contender via TKO. Hughes started the match with a big slam and then began to attack from Castillo's guard with elbows and punches. Hughes easily avoided any submission attempts and looked far stronger than Castillo. As he passed to half guard, Castillo was bleeding above his left eye. The challenger's only offense was a weak triangle choke that went nowhere. The round ended with Hughes on top, ground-and-pounding his opponent.[41] Between rounds doctors ruled that the resulting cut was too severe to continue, and Hughes was declared the winner due to stoppage.[41]
AtUFC 42: Sudden Impact, Hughes faced futureUFC Lightweight ChampionSean Sherk, winning via unanimous decision.[42] Hughes started the action by taking Sherk down immediately, passing to half guard. Sherk was able to stand for a few seconds before Hughes took him down again.[43] In round two, they started to trade punches, but eventually Hughes took Sherk down. Like the first round, they stood up for a moment.[43] At the beginning of the third round, Sherk took Hughes down, while Hughes attempted a kimura from the bottom. A late stand up led to a second takedown by Sherk.[43] Round 4 saw Hughes using his strength to control the challenger on the ground. Sherk took Hughes down again in the fifth round, but the champion controlled the rest of the time sprawl-and-brawling as he finished on top.[43] With the victory, he became the first man to defeat Sherk.[44][45]
Hughes faced formerWFA Welterweight ChampionFrank Trigg at the main event ofUFC 45: Revolution.[46] This event marked the UFC's 10th anniversary.[47] After a tactical grappling match-up early on, Trigg fell victim to a standingrear naked choke at 3:45 of the first round.[48] The choke earned Hughes theTapout of the Night Submission Award.[49]
Hughes kept the title untilUFC 46: Supernatural,[50] when he was submitted byHawaiianBrazilian jiu-jitsu specialistB.J. Penn viarear naked choke at 4:39 of the first round,[51] in a fight he was heavily favored to win.[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. Penn filed suit against UFC and publicized his side of the conflict, claiming his contract had expired. Penn filed a motion to stop UFC from awarding a new welterweight title, but that motion was denied.[53]
Hughes faced Penn's training partnerRenato Verissimo atUFC 48: Payback, winning via unanimous decision (30-27; 30–27; 29–28).[54] He was caught in a very tighttriangle choke in the first round,[55] but after winning the second and third rounds, was awarded with the victory.[55]
Hughes regained the vacant welterweight title by submittingCanadian contenderGeorges St-Pierre viaarmbar in the final second of the first round atUFC 50: The War of '04.[56] The fight was competitive. Hughes took GSP down twice and landed a huge slam. Hughes was in trouble at the beginning of the bout as St-Pierre unloaded a spinning back kick into his ribs.[57] The submission earned Hughes his secondTapout of the Night.[49] Obviously disappointed at the time, St. Pierre admitted afterward that he had lost before he ever stepped into the Octagon. He had regarded Hughes as his idol, not as someone he could beat.[58]
Hughes retained his title against Trigg in their historic rematch atUFC 52: Couture vs. Liddell 2.[59] Accidentally hit in the groin early in the first round, Hughes looked to the referee for assistance; however, the referee had not seen the strike and Trigg capitalized on Hughes's distraction by staggering him with a barrage of punches. The fight quickly went to the ground, with Trigg ground-and-pounding Hughes, then attempting a rear naked choke. After nearly two minutes of struggling, Hughes broke free, picked Trigg up, carried him across the Octagon and slammed him to the ground. Hughes then ground-and-pounded Trigg before securing the victory with a rear naked choke of his own, in what is considered one of the UFC's greatest fights.[60] and comebacks in MMA history[61][62] This fight is UFC President Dana White's favorite match in combat sport history.[62][63][64] He was awarded theTapout of the Night for the third time in his career.[49]
Hughes's next fight took place atUFC 56: Full Force, where he was scheduled to fightJudo practitionerKaro Parisyan. After Parisyan suffered ahamstring injury and could not fight,[65]Joe Riggs took his place.[66] The match was originally scheduled as a title bout, but since Riggs could not meet the 170-pound weight limit, it became a non-title fight.[67] It marked the first time for the UFC that a title fight had to be called off for this reason.[67]
I'm not disappointed. It makes me a lot more relaxed to go in there. I don't have pressure of possibly losing my title. I think it's great news for me. I mean the only thing I don't like about it is it's a three-round fight and I've trained for five rounds.[67]
Hughes defeated Riggs in the first round by submission viakimura from the half-guard at 3:28.[68] The armlock earned Hughes his lastTapout of the Night award.[49][66]
We knew what he was planning to do. We worked out his game plan before the fight, and he did exactly what we expected. I over-trained for the fight. That was all. I started training too much, too hard, for too long. He did exactly what we expected.
AtUFC 60: Hughes vs. Gracie,[70] on May 27, 2006, Hughes defeatedBrazilian Jiu-Jitsu legend andUFC Hall of FamerRoyce Gracie in a non-title, catch-weight bout by TKO (strikes) at 4:39 of the first round.[71] Before the stoppage, Gracie was caught in anarmlock from theside mount position;[71] although Hughes appeared to have the submission in place, Gracie would not tap out. Hughes stated that he felt his arm pop and realized he would never tap, so instead of breaking his arm, opted to seek a different position .[72] The event drew 620,000 buys, becoming the best-sellingpay-per-view in UFC history, and was the first to break the $20 million mark in gross PPV sales.[73]
It just seemed like I was a step ahead of him. I was really surprised. I was [also] surprised by the strength difference, and especially when I was on the ground with him. Wherever I wanted his hand, I put it there. I really shouldn't be able to do that with somebody as talented as Royce.[74]
Hughes was scheduled to fightGeorges St-Pierre in a rematch atUFC 63,[75][76] but after St-Pierre sustained a severe groin injury, the UFC announced thatB.J. Penn would replace him in the title fight.[75][76] At this point in their careers, Penn was the only mixed martial artist to beat Hughes after March 2001. In fact, it was Hughes's only loss in his last 19 fights.[75] In the bout, Penn controlled the first two rounds,[77][78] but sustained a rib injury during the scramble to take Hughes's back in round two. He was visibly different in the third round, appearing exhausted and missing punches he was landing earlier. Hughes was able to take Penn to the mat, and in side-controlcrucifix position rained punches on Penn's head until referee"Big" John McCarthy stopped the fight at 3:53 of the third round.[77][78] In the process, Hughes became the first man to stop Penn in a fight.[77][79] Both fighters were awarded theFight of the Night bonus.[80] In an interview on Penn's personal website, Penn stated that by round three he could hardly breathe and had no "mobility in his core".[81] Despite the injury, Penn congratulated Hughes, calling him a great fighter and saying he deserved the victory.[81]
You are the greatest champion of all time.
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.[83] According to both commentator Joe Rogan and Hughes's own autobiography, Hughes was unhappy with St-Pierre's statement. Hughes said that they "had words" off-camera shortly thereafter. St-Pierre apologized, saying he had misunderstood something Hughes had said on the microphone and did not mean to offend him.[84]
On November 18, 2006, atUFC 65: Bad Intentions, Georges St-Pierre defeated Hughes by TKO via strikes at 1:25 of round two, ending Hughes's title reign.[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.[86] However, Hughes stated in the post-fight interview that the second kick mainly affected his legs, rather than his groin.[87] Nearing the end of the first round, St-Pierre landed aSuperman punch, which floored Hughes. St-Pierre then followed up with strikes on his stunned opponent. When it appeared that the fight would be stopped, the bell rang signaling the end of the first round. In the second round, St-Pierre ended the fight with a head kick which stunned Hughes and knocked him to the mat. He followed up with a flurry of punches and elbows that forced McCarthy to stop the contest with 3:35 left in the round.[86]
On March 3, 2007, Hughes returned to the Octagon forUFC 68: Uprising,[88] defeatingChris Lytle by unanimous decision, winning 30–27 on all three judges' scorecards.[89] Hughes secured an armbar at the end of round one, but Lytle was saved by the bell. Hughes opened the second round with a quick takedown, moving up to side-control and then landed an elbow that cut Lytle. Finally, Hughes mounted his opponent, but Lytle swept and was able to reverse that position. In the third round, Hughes unsuccessfully tried an armbar again before the horn sounded.[89]
In late mid-2007, Hughes left theMiletich camp with Miletich stablemateRobbie Lawler, longtimeboxing coach Matt Pena, andwrestling/conditioning teacher Marc Fiore to form The H.I.T. (Hughes Intensive Training) Squad inGranite City, Illinois.[1]
In 2005, Hughes participated as a coach oppositeRich Franklin in thesecond season of theSpike TVreality television series,The Ultimate Fighter.[90] This was the first season where the coaches did not fight each other after the conclusion of the show, because Franklin and Hughes were champions in different weight divisions. In 2007, Hughes participated as a guest coach for long-time friend and training partner,Jens Pulver duringThe Ultimate Fighter 5 season.
Hughes agreed to head coach again forThe Ultimate Fighter 6, alongside then-UFC Welterweight Champion,Matt Serra.[91][92] Despite the fact that after the preliminary round, Team Hughes's record was 2–6, bothMac Danzig andTommy Speer of Team Hughes made it to the finals.[93][94] In 2011, Hughes appeared as guest coach duringThe Ultimate Fighter 13 season for friend and formerUFC Heavyweight ChampionBrock Lesnar.[95]
Hughes is an amazing fighter. I just had a good night that night, and he had a bad night.If we fight again, I don't think he's going to beat me, but he will probably come closer. Maybe he had a bad day -- it's a matter of circumstances as well.
Following a championship win byMatt Serra over Georges St-Pierre atUFC 69,[96] UFC President Dana White announced that Hughes would fight for the World Welterweight title in November 2007 against Serra.[97] This fight was later changed to December 29, 2007, inLas Vegas, atUFC 79: Nemesis.[98] On November 23, however, Serra sustained a herniated disc in his lower back and informed UFC that he would not be able to compete for an indeterminate time.[99][100] As a replacement for the title match, the UFC quickly signed a rubber match between Hughes and St-Pierre that would also be for theInterim UFC Welterweight Championship.[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.[101] Near the end of the second round, St-Pierre attempted a kimura on Hughes's right arm that he escaped, but in a reversal of their first fight, St-Pierre was able to twist it into a straight armbar with fifteen seconds remaining in the round.[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.[102] In the post-fight interview, Hughes praised St-Pierre as the better fighter:
No excuses here. I came into this fight 120 percent... Georges is the better fighter. There's nothing more I can say about it.[103]
This means everything to me. I remember watching Matt Hughes slamming people through the floor. I'm really, really happy.
Hughes foughtThiago Alves atUFC 85: Bedlam on June 7, 2008. Hughes lost to Alves by TKO at 1:02 of the second round. After receiving a powerful flying knee, he dropped to the ground with his own left knee pinned behind his hips, ultimately leaving him with a tornMCL and partially tornPCL. Hughes took the fight on short notice as a favor to UFC. Alves failed to make weight for the match, but Hughes elected to fight him at a catch weight anyway.[105] He stated in his blog:
Thiago came in big, some people told me that he looked bigger than me in the octagon. I didn't expect that but I also think that had nothing to do with the outcome of the fight. I think Thiago came up with a good game plan.[106]
In the future there are guys likeGSP and Matt Hughes, who I'm sure are going to be hall-of-famers — Serra said before the event. - 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 can live with that.
Immediately after the Alves fight, Hughes stated that he had "one more fight" left in him, and that he wanted to fight Matt Serra. Their rivalry stemmed from the time when Serra was a contestant onThe Ultimate Fighter and Hughes was guest coach. Serra did not like the way Hughes criticized other contestants on the show and was disgusted when Hughes constantly picked onGeorges St-Pierre during a lunch break and bragged about his submission victory.[108] On January 9, 2009, Hughes confirmed on his blog thatUFC 98 would likely be the day he and Serra met in the Octagon. UFC confirmed the fight.[109]
Hughes won the grudge match against Serra atUFC 98 via unanimous decision.[110] In the first round, both fighters collided heads, and Hughes got the worst of it. Despite this, Serra could not finish the fight and Hughes recovered rapidly.[110] In the second round, Hughes controlled his opponent on the ground with his wrestling skills.[110] The final round saw the former champions taking each other down and exchanging punches.[110] The back and forth action rewarded both competitors withFight of the Night honors.[111] After the fight Hughes and Serra embraced each other and ended their feud. Hughes posted on his blog: "When the fight was over, I was pretty confident I was going to get my hand raised. Some people have asked why I raised his hand at the end. Actually I didn't, he raised mine. He also told me that, no matter what the decision was, he was done with the rivalry".[112] After the fight Hughes said, "I think I have a few more fights left in me."
Hughes then signed a multi-fight deal with the UFC.[113] Hughes defeatedRenzo Gracie, the 1st cousin once removed of his opponent at UFC 60, via third roundTKO atUFC 112: Invincible, setting the record for most UFC wins with 17.[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. Hughes started the second round with powerful leg kicks, but after that Gracie returned to his in-and-out punching style. Hughes got double underhooks and managed to take Gracie down briefly.[114] In the final round Hughes connected with a right hook to Gracie's chin, then connected with a leg kick and another punch. With two minutes to go he knocked Gracie down with a leg kick. Gracie took all the time he could before Hughes helped him up and then dropped him with a second leg kick. Gracie stalled again, but when he finally stood up Hughes floored him with a punch, let him get up and then attacked again. Hughes knocked Gracie down again with a fourth punch, when refereeHerb Dean ended it.[114]
On May 28, 2010, Hughes was inducted into theUFC Hall of Fame.[8][13]
I never thought about this, to be honest - I'm just a Midwest guy kinda living the dream. But I'm very privileged and I thank the UFC. 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.[7]
FightingRenzo Gracie student and 3rd degree Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black beltRicardo Almeida, Hughes rendered him unconscious with aDave Schultzfront headlock[115] at 3:15 of round 1, on August 7, 2010, atUFC 117: Silva vs. Sonnen.[116] Hughes landed a huge left hook that knocked Almeida down, sinking in the very deep choke which earned him theSubmission of the Night honors.[117][118] Almeida requested the fight after watching his mentor lose to Hughes atUFC 112 back in April. 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.[116]
It's an old-school wrestling move. I've been good at it. I'm happy to beat a good Brazilian with a wrestling move.[116]
You're my idol -- Matt Hughes, you're my idol, you will always be my idol, thank you.
Hughes facedB.J. Penn on November 20, 2010, in a rubber match atUFC 123: Rampage vs. Machida, after their previous two fights atUFC 46 andUFC 63.[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. Penn then connected with an overhand right that dropped Hughes, following up with three clean shots to the jaw.[121] The bout was ended at 21 seconds into the first round, with Hughes trilogy against Penn ending at 1–2. The fight marked the first time Hughes had been knocked out (he had previously lost via technical knockout). Post-fight Hughes hinted that the loss moved him one step closer to retirement.
I had a lot on the line. This was a huge fight for me. To be honest, I don't know what goes on now.[122]
Hughes was expected to faceDiego Sanchez on September 24, 2011, atUFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage.[123] However, Sanchez missed the bout with an injury and was replaced byJosh Koscheck.[124] Hughes suffered a KO loss to Koscheck at 4:59 of the first round. Hughes showed improved striking, but ultimately succumbed to Koscheck's power punches.[125]
I'm not retiring. I'm just going to tell the UFC to put me up on a shelf for a while, and we'll see what happens after that.[126]
The UFC announced on January 24, 2013, that Matt Hughes retired from fighting and was named a Vice President of Athlete Development and Government Relations.[127]
In the UFC, Hughes frequently used the song "A Country Boy Can Survive" byHank Williams, Jr. as he made his entrance towards the Octagon. At theUFC 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 withMichael Malice,[129] on January 1, 2008.[130] The book debuted at No. 21 on theNew York Times bestseller list.[131]
In January 2011, Hughes became the host ofhunting program Trophy Hunters TV, which aired onOutdoor Channel.[132][non-primary source needed][133] The show is closely related to the Texas Trophy Hunters Association.[134]
On July 4, 2013, Hughes became the host ofUncaged with Matt Hughes, which aired Saturdays on theSportsman Channel.[135][136]
On October 7, 2014, Hughes partnered with producer Joe David Garza and became the host of a new series entitledThe Takedown with Matt Hughes, which aired on Sundays on theSportsman Channel. The series was nominated for "Best New Series" in 2015 at the Sportsman's Choice Awards.[citation needed]
Matt Hughes has been criticized by animal advocates, including former UFC fighter and commentatorDan Hardy, for histrophy hunting hobby.[137] In response to outrage over trophy hunting pictures posted on hisTwitter account in 2012, Hughes called some of the commenters "PETA idiots" and told them to stop following his page.[138]
Hughes is aborn again Christian and regularly posts Bible verses on his website.[139] Hughes and his wife have two daughters together. She also has a son from a previous relationship.[17] The couple's second daughter was born on January 2, 2010.[140] Matt and his twin brother were born on their father's birthday.[4]
On June 16, 2017, Hughes was hospitalized with a serious head injury after a train struck the passenger side of his truck at arail crossing near his home inMontgomery County, Illinois.[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. They were working with the Triumph Over Tragedy Foundation to determine next steps for care. The Foundation, of which Hughes was a board member for five years, provides care for families with brain and spinal cord injuries.[143] On January 14, 2018, Hughes returned ringside as a guest of honor duringUFC Fight Night inSt. Louis.[144] On September 19, 2017, news surfaced that Hughes suedNorfolk Southern Railway and several of its employees for the 2017 train crash.[145] On September 23, 2017, he returned to the hospital to honor the hospital staff who took care of him while he was there.[146]
In May 2019, Hughes's wife filed arestraining order against him after she accused him of several incidents ofdomestic violence. His brotherMark Hughes also filed a restraining order against him claiming that Matt choked his son and tried to destroy his tractor.[147] Hughes filed to divorce his wife on May 27, 2019.[148] In September 2019, Hughes' attorneys revealed that the brothers hadsettled their case.[149]
| 54 matches | 45 wins | 9 losses |
| By knockout | 21 | 5 |
| By submission | 14 | 4 |
| By decision | 10 | 0 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 45–9 | Josh Koscheck | KO (punches) | UFC 135 | September 24, 2011 | 1 | 4:59 | Denver, Colorado, United States | |
| Loss | 45–8 | B.J. Penn | KO (punches) | UFC 123 | November 20, 2010 | 1 | 0:21 | Auburn Hills, Michigan, United States | |
| Win | 45–7 | Ricardo Almeida | Technical Submission (anaconda choke) | UFC 117 | August 7, 2010 | 1 | 3:15 | Oakland, California, United States | Submission of the Night. |
| Win | 44–7 | Renzo Gracie | TKO (leg kicks and punches) | UFC 112 | April 10, 2010 | 3 | 4:40 | Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates | |
| Win | 43–7 | Matt Serra | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 98 | May 23, 2009 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Fight of the Night. |
| Loss | 42–7 | Thiago Alves | TKO (flying knee and punches) | UFC 85 | June 7, 2008 | 2 | 1:02 | London, England | Catchweight (174 lbs) bout; Alves missed weight. |
| Loss | 42–6 | Georges St-Pierre | Submission (armbar) | UFC 79 | December 29, 2007 | 2 | 4:54 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | For the interimUFC Welterweight Championship. |
| Win | 42–5 | Chris Lytle | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 68 | March 3, 2007 | 3 | 5:00 | Columbus, Ohio, United States | |
| Loss | 41–5 | Georges St-Pierre | TKO (head kick and punches) | UFC 65 | November 18, 2006 | 2 | 1:25 | Sacramento, California, United States | Lost theUFC Welterweight Championship. |
| Win | 41–4 | B.J. Penn | TKO (punches) | UFC 63 | September 23, 2006 | 3 | 3:53 | Anaheim, California, United States | Defended theUFC Welterweight Championship. Fight of the Night. |
| Win | 40–4 | Royce Gracie | TKO (punches) | UFC 60 | May 27, 2006 | 1 | 4:39 | Los Angeles,California, United States | Catchweight (175 lbs) bout. |
| Win | 39–4 | Joe Riggs | Submission (kimura) | UFC 56 | November 19, 2005 | 1 | 3:26 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Non-title bout. Riggs failed to make weight (172.5 lbs). |
| Win | 38–4 | Frank Trigg | Submission (rear-naked choke) | UFC 52 | April 16, 2005 | 1 | 4:05 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Defended theUFC Welterweight Championship. Submission of the Year (2005). |
| Win | 37–4 | Georges St-Pierre | Submission (armbar) | UFC 50 | October 22, 2004 | 1 | 4:59 | Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States | Won the vacantUFC Welterweight Championship. |
| Win | 36–4 | Renato Verissimo | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 48 | June 19, 2004 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Loss | 35–4 | B.J. Penn | Submission (rear-naked choke) | UFC 46 | January 31, 2004 | 1 | 4:39 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Lost theUFC Welterweight Championship. |
| Win | 35–3 | Frank Trigg | Submission (rear-naked choke) | UFC 45 | November 21, 2003 | 1 | 3:54 | Uncasville, Connecticut, United States | Defended theUFC Welterweight Championship. |
| Win | 34–3 | Sean Sherk | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 42 | April 25, 2003 | 5 | 5:00 | Miami,Florida, United States | Defended theUFC Welterweight Championship. |
| Win | 33–3 | Gil Castillo | TKO (doctor stoppage) | UFC 40 | November 22, 2002 | 1 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Defended theUFC Welterweight Championship. |
| Win | 32–3 | Carlos Newton | TKO (punches) | UFC 38 | July 13, 2002 | 4 | 3:27 | London, England | Defended theUFC Welterweight Championship. |
| Win | 31–3 | Hayato Sakurai | TKO (punches) | UFC 36 | March 22, 2002 | 4 | 3:01 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Defended theUFC Welterweight Championship. |
| Win | 30–3 | Carlos Newton | KO (slam) | UFC 34 | November 2, 2001 | 2 | 1:27 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Won theUFC Welterweight Championship. |
| Win | 29–3 | Steve Gomm | TKO (punches) | Extreme Challenge 43 | September 8, 2001 | 2 | 3:18 | Orem, Utah, United States | |
| Win | 28–3 | Hiromitsu Kanehara | Decision (majority) | Rings: 10th Anniversary | August 11, 2001 | 3 | 5:00 | Tokyo, Japan | |
| Win | 27–3 | Chatt Lavender | Submission (arm-triangle choke) | Extreme Challenge 41 | July 13, 2001 | 3 | 2:31 | Davenport, Iowa, United States | |
| Win | 26–3 | Scott Johnson | KO (punch) | Extreme Challenge 40 | June 16, 2001 | 1 | 3:24 | Springfield, Illinois, United States | |
| Win | 25–3 | John Cronk | TKO (submission to punches) | Gladiators 14 | May 11, 2001 | 1 | N/A | Omaha, Nebraska, United States | |
| Win | 24–3 | Bruce Nelson | Submission (guillotine choke) | Freestyle Combat Challenge 4 | March 31, 2001 | 1 | 3:01 | Racine, Wisconsin, United States | |
| Win | 23–3 | Brett Al-azzawi | Submission (armbar) | Rings USA: Battle of Champions | March 17, 2001 | 1 | 3:27 | Council Bluffs, Iowa, United States | |
| Loss | 22–3 | José Landi-Jons | KO (knee) | Shidokan Jitsu: Warriors War 1 | February 8, 2001 | 1 | 4:45 | Kuwait City, Kuwait | Middleweight (185 lbs) bout. |
| Loss | 22–2 | Dennis Hallman | Submission (armbar) | UFC 29 | December 16, 2000 | 1 | 0:20 | Tokyo, Japan | |
| Win | 22–1 | Maynard Marcum | Submission (keylock) | Rings Australia: Free Fight Battle | November 12, 2000 | 1 | 6:29 | Brisbane, Australia | |
| Win | 21–1 | Robbie Newman | Submission (arm-triangle choke) | Rings USA: Rising Stars Final | September 30, 2000 | 1 | 1:40 | Moline, Illinois, United States | |
| Win | 20–1 | Chris Haseman | Decision (unanimous) | Rings: Millennium Combine 3 | August 23, 2000 | 2 | 5:00 | Osaka, Japan | |
| Win | 19–1 | Joe Guist | Submission (armbar) | Extreme Challenge 35 | June 29, 2000 | 1 | 2:45 | Davenport, Iowa, United States | |
| Win | 18–1 | Marcelo Aguiar | TKO (doctor stoppage) | UFC 26 | June 9, 2000 | 1 | 4:34 | Cedar Rapids, Iowa, United States | |
| Win | 17–1 | Shawn Peters | Submission (arm-triangle choke) | Extreme Challenge 32 | May 21, 2000 | 1 | 2:52 | Springfield, Illinois, United States | |
| Win | 16–1 | Alexandre Barros | Decision (unanimous) | WEF 9: World Class | May 13, 2000 | 3 | 5:00 | Evansville, Indiana, United States | |
| Win | 15–1 | Eric Davila | Submission (keylock) | SuperBrawl 17 | April 15, 2000 | 2 | 3:24 | Honolulu,Hawaii, United States | |
| Win | 14–1 | Jorge Pereira | TKO (doctor stoppage) | WEF 8: Goin' Platinum | January 15, 2000 | 1 | 6:00 | Rome, Georgia, United States | |
| Win | 13–1 | Daniel Vianna | TKO (cut) | Jeet Kune Do Challenge 4 | November 20, 1999 | 1 | N/A | Chicago,Illinois, United States | |
| Win | 12–1 | LaVerne Clark | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Extreme Challenge 29 | November 13, 1999 | 2 | 1:35 | Hayward, Wisconsin, United States | |
| Win | 11–1 | Tom Schmitz | TKO (eye injury) | Extreme Challenge 29 | November 13, 1999 | 1 | 0:48 | Hayward, Wisconsin, United States | |
| Win | 10–1 | Joe Doerksen | TKO (submission to knees and punches) | Extreme Challenge 29 | November 13, 1999 | 2 | 0:25 | Hayward, Wisconsin, United States | |
| Win | 9–1 | Valeri Ignatov | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 22 | September 24, 1999 | 3 | 5:00 | Lake Charles, Louisiana, United States | |
| Win | 8–1 | Akihiro Gono | Decision (unanimous) | Shooto - 10th Anniversary Event | May 29, 1999 | 3 | 5:00 | Yokohama, Japan | |
| Win | 7–1 | Erick Snyder | TKO (slam) | Jeet Kune Do Challenge 3 | April 24, 1999 | 1 | N/A | Chicago,Illinois, United States | |
| Win | 6–1 | Joe Stern | TKO (punches) | Extreme Challenge 23 | April 2, 1999 | 1 | 2:30 | Indianapolis,Indiana, United States | |
| Win | 5–1 | Ryan Stout | TKO (corner stoppage) | Extreme Shootfighting | December 11, 1998 | 2 | 5:00 | Waukesha, Wisconsin, United States | |
| Loss | 4–1 | Dennis Hallman | Technical Submission (guillotine choke) | Extreme Challenge 21 | October 17, 1998 | 1 | 0:17 | Hayward, Wisconsin, United States | |
| Win | 4–0 | Dave Menne | Decision (unanimous) | Extreme Challenge 21 | October 17, 1998 | 1 | 15:00 | Hayward, Wisconsin, United States | |
| Win | 3–0 | Victor Hunsaker | TKO (punches) | Extreme Challenge 21 | October 17, 1998 | 1 | 1:39 | Hayward, Wisconsin, United States | |
| Win | 2–0 | Craig Quick | TKO (submission to punches) | Jeet Kune Do Challenge 2 | April 25, 1998 | 1 | N/A | Chicago,Illinois, United States | |
| Win | 1–0 | Erick Snyder | KO (slam) | Jeet Kune Do Challenge 1 | January 1, 1998 | 1 | 0:15 | Chicago,Illinois, United States |
| No | Event | Fight | Date | Venue | City | PPV Buys |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | UFC 38 | Hughes vs.Newton | 13 July 2002 | Royal Albert Hall | London, United Kingdom | 45,000 |
| 2. | UFC 42 | Hughes vs.Sherk | 25 April 2003 | American Airlines Arena | Miami, United States | 35,000 |
| 3. | UFC 45 | Hughes vs.Trigg | 21 November 2003 | Mohegan Sun Arena | Uncasville, United States | 40,000 |
| 4. | UFC 60 | Hughes vs.Gracie | 27 May 2006 | Staples Arena | Los Angeles, United States | 620,000 |
| 5. | UFC 63 | Hughes vs.Penn2 | 23 September 2006 | Arrowhead Pond | Anaheim, United States | 400,000 |
| 6. | UFC 65 | Hughes vs.St Pierre 2 | 18 November 2006 | ARCO Arena | Sacramento, United States | 500,000 |
| 7. | UFC 79 | St Pierre vs.Hughes 3 | 29 December 2007 | Mandalay Bay Events Centre | Las Vegas, United States | 650,000 |
| 8. | UFC 85 | Hughes vs.Alves | 7 June 2008 | The O2 Arena | London, United Kingdom | 215,000 |
| 4 matches | 2 wins | 2 losses |
| By submission | 1 | 0 |
| By decision | 0 | 2 |
| By disqualification | 1 | 0 |
| 4 Matches, 2 Wins (1 Submission), 2 Loss | |||||||
| Result | Rec. | Opponent | Method | Event | Division | Date | Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lose | 2-2 |  Tito Ortiz | Points | ADCC 2000 | –99 kg | 2000 |  Abu Dhabi |
| Lose | 2-1 | Jeff Monson | Points | ||||
| Win | 2-0 | Jeremy Horn | Submission (Guillotine) Jeremy Horn threw the match to Matt Hughes. | ||||
| Win | 1-0 |  Ricardo Almeida | Penalty | ||||
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 | The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch | Himself | TV episode dated October 8, 2005 |
| 2005 | The Ultimate Fighter 2 | Himself | Head coach |
| 2006 | The Ultimate Fighter 4 | Himself | Guest trainer |
| 2006 | Quite Frankly with Stephen A. Smith | Himself | TV episode dated October 9, 2006 |
| 2007 | The Modern Warrior | Himself | Film |
| 2007 | The Ultimate Fighter 5 | Himself | Guest coach |
| 2007 | The Ultimate Fighter 6 | Himself | Head coach |
| 2009 | FightZone Presents | Himself | TV episode: "UWC: Man O'War - Part 2" |
| 2011 | The Ultimate Fighter 13 | Himself | Guest coach |
| 2011 —present | Trophy Hunters TV | Himself | |
| 2016 — 2017 | Kingdom (U.S. TV series) | Himself | Fighter |
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | Ultimate Fighting Championship | Himself |
| 2002 | UFC: Tapout | Himself |
| 2002 | UFC: Throwdown | Himself |
| 2003 | UFC: Tapout 2 | Himself |
| 2004 | UFC: Sudden Impact | Himself |
| 2009 | UFC 2009 Undisputed | Himself |
| 2010 | UFC Undisputed 2010 | Himself |
| 2012 | UFC Undisputed 3 | Himself |
| 2014 | EA Sports UFC | Himself |
| 2016 | EA Sports UFC 2 | Himself |
| 2018 | EA Sports UFC 3 | Himself |
| 2020 | EA Sports UFC 4 | Himself |
| 2023 | EA Sports UFC 5 | Himself |
2 - Matt Hughes WSub1 (4:05) Frank Trigg – April 16 – UFC 52
| Preceded by | 3rdUFC Welterweight Champion November 2, 2001 – January 31, 2004 | Succeeded by |
| Vacant Title last held by B.J. Penn | 5thUFC Welterweight Champion October 22, 2004 – November 18, 2006 | Succeeded by |
| Pioneer Wing | |
|---|---|
| Modern-Era Wing | |
| Contributors | |
| Fights | |
| Community Award | |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
