About Matt Hughes
BJ Penn was knocking Matt Hughes out on his feet in the opening round of UFC 63. He trapped Hughes in a triangle armbar in the second round that would have made most opponents submit. But Hughes had learned the values of hard work, tenacity, and dedication growing up on a farm in Hillsboro, Illinois. Thus, he didn’t tap. Instead, he fought back with a now-famous comeback that culminated with him crucifixing himself and throwing punches at the opponent.
Perhaps it was his parents and the 4,500-person village where he was raised. Maybe it was the competition with Mark, the other twin. Hughes was, nevertheless, trained to never give up. This is his tale.
Date of Birth: Matt Hughes was born on October 13, 1973, in Hillsboro, Illinois.
Training Camp, Fighting Organization, and Theme Song:
Because of his extensive training with Miletich Fighting Systems in Iowa, Hughes is well-known. He now works out with the HIT Squad in Granite City, Illinois, a gym that Jesse Finney now owns but that Hughes started. Hughes competes for the UFC, where he is renowned for making his entrance to Hank Williams Jr.’s song “A Country Boy Can Survive,”.
Background in High School Athletics and Wrestling
Due to their necessity to labor on the farm, Matt and his brother only participated in wrestling and a very brief track season in junior high. But by the time they reached high school, Matt and Mark were both involved in football and wrestling stars. Both of them were All-Conference choices who ran back and played linebacker. Matt rushed for more than 800 yards as a senior.
Matt, however, was most successful in wrestling, where he consistently qualified for the Illinois State Championships. He amassed an 88-0 record during his junior and senior years, winning two state titles in the 145-pound division.
University Wrestling
Both Hughes boys attended Belleville Area College (BAC) for one year following high school. After their first year, wrestling—in which Matt was named All American—was eliminated as a sport. So, both went to Lincoln College, where Matt once more became an All American wrestler.
Matt got a scholarship to Eastern Illinois University following his sophomore campaign. He received All-American honors there both in his junior and senior years. While attending the university, he placed eighth once, then fifth, in the NCAA Division 1 championships.
Beginnings of MMA
According to Hughes’ official website, a friend called Chris Dwyer approached him in 1996 about competing at a local event in the Chicago region. Matt prevailed in the fight and received $100 as payment. However, according to Sherdog.com, he fought Erick Snyder at a JKD event on January 1, 1998, in what is listed as his first legitimate professional match. Hughes won by slam KO, which would eventually make him famous. Early on, he collaborated with Pat Miletich, manager Monte Cox, and Miletich Fighting Systems, which for a while was regarded as the top MMA training facility in the United States.
debut in the UFC and title victory
Before the UFC called in 2000, Hughes had a formal record of 17-1. Unexpectedly, he was defeated by submission in his organization debut against Dennis Hallman. He would lose against Hallman a second game that day. He would, however, be given another opportunity by the company in 2001 at UFC 34 when he faced off against welterweight champion Carlos Newtown. Pat Miletich, Hughes’ coach, had just lost to Newton in the championship match. Hughes used a slam to win the match in a thrilling comeback and claim the UFC championship.
BJ Penn vs. Matt Hughes
In one of the biggest upsets in MMA history, Penn defeated Hughes at UFC 46 in 2004 via rear naked choke after moving up from lightweight. Penn rejoined the promotion at UFC 63 and battled Hughes for the title he’d given up. Hughes prevailed via TKO in one of the greatest MMA matches and comebacks ever. However, Penn prevailed in their third bout, at UFC 123, with a 21-second knockout.
Georges St. Pierre vs. Matt Hughes
At UFC 50 in 2004, Hughes faced St. Pierre and prevailed via armbar in a competitive match. However, St. Pierre did triumph over Hughes in rematches at UFC 65 and UFC 79, both times by way of submission. The Hughes-St. Pierre trilogy continues to be remembered as a pivotal one in MMA history.
Hall of Fame for UFC
Matt Hughes was admitted to the UFC Hall of Fame in 2010. It was quite difficult to argue against his acceptance after victories over Georges St. Pierre, BJ Penn, Frank Trigg (twice), Hayato Sakurai, Royce Gracie, Ricardo Almeida, Carlos Newton (twice), Renzo Gracie, Sean Sherk, and Joe Doerksen. One of the all-time best UFC welterweight champions is and always will be Hughes.
Personal Life
Hughes is an ardent new-born Christian. He frequently discussed the bible with his squad while serving as a TUF 6 coach, and he frequently shares Bible scriptures on his website. Audra and Hughes are married, and the two of them have two daughters. Additionally, each of them has a son from a prior union.
A Few Remarkable Matt Hughes Triumphs
At UFC 63, Hughes knocks out BJ Penn via TKO. This battle is regarded by many as one of the best MMA matches of all time, and Hughes’ career-defining victory. In the third round, he launched a comeback that culminated with Penn being punched while in the crucifix position.
At UFC 52, Hughes submits Frank Trigg using a rear naked choke: Early in, Hughes took a low hit that the referee missed, leaving him in a precarious position on the mat. Trigg appeared to be about to suffocate him. But Hughes, as has frequently been the case with him, refused to give in. Instead, he got out of his dangerous situation, scooped Trigg up, pushed him into a corner, and then choked him. One of the greatest comebacks in mixed martial arts history occurred during this match.
At UFC 50, Hughes subdues Georges St. Pierre with an armbar: St. Pierre hadn’t yet reached his peak while Hughes was still in it. In the end, any time you defeat St. Pierre, it is a fantastic victory.
