Hughes: Two More Fights Before Retirement? - Fight Forum - MMA - UFC - Boxing - K1

Gooner · 11-11-2006, 04:22 AM

Quote:

There have been rumblings from the Miletich camp for several months that UFC welterweight champion Matt Hughes (Pictures) was considering winding down his extraordinary career.

Hughes recently confirmed to Sherdog.com that he indeed plans on fighting out his current UFC contract, which will have one bout left following his title defense against Georges St. Pierre (Pictures) on Nov. 18, before retiring from active participation in the sport of mixed martial arts.

The question was first broached when Hughes was asked where he saw himself a year from now. “Hopefully retired with my family back home,” the UFC welterweight champion responded.

“In a perfect world” Hughes declared that he would “fight a couple more times, retire, [and] go back home.”

Hughes cited the strain of being away from family, including a newborn daughter, as motivation for hanging up his four-ounce gloves.

The two time UFC champ, who stands at 40-4-0, made it clear he has come to a point where the benefits of fighting are far outweighed by the negatives that come along with it.

Hughes, 33, did leave open the possibility, should he get past a very tough St. Pierre, of moving up in weight to face UFC 185-pound champion Anderson Silva in hopes of becoming the first fighter to concurrently hold UFC titles in multiple weight classes.

http://www.sherdog.com/news/articles.asp?n_id=6087

Damnit, if he does retire after 2 fights, Dana better put him against BJ after he's lost to GSP.

Nimmy · 11-11-2006, 06:49 AM

id love to see him go out on a high taking the 2 belts

ufc-Joseph-Bower-ufc · 11-11-2006, 07:41 AM

As much as I dont like Hughes I would Like to see him move up a weight class and fight Anderson Silva. After he losses to GSP that is IMO.

Bomber · 11-11-2006, 07:47 AM

Wow, that came out of nowhere. Hopefully he finishes the trilogy with Penn for his last fight, because it's unfinished business, and besides, Silva would murder him.

BlingDogg · 11-11-2006, 10:11 AM

I really want GSP to beat him, but as much as this, I'd like to see Hughes move up and face Silva.
I hope he doesn't retire. I don't like Hughes, but he's a great fighter, and the UFC needs guys like him.

Reverend57 · 11-11-2006, 10:25 AM

2 fights? I would like to see GSP win this next fight, but lets says Hughes beats GSP. I guess his last fight would be to the TUF 4 Winner? I really wanted to see him and Sanchez go at. Thats one of the fights I was wanting to see in 2007.

asronn · 11-11-2006, 11:00 AM

wow!! I hate Hughes but now I want him to beat GSP so I can watch him fight Silva....I mean as much as I hate Hughes I think he is a great fighter and I have watched many events hoping to see him lose...I will be sad to see him go

Ryduce · 11-11-2006, 11:04 AM

After he beats GSP he'll finish the epic trilogy with Penn,and then he'll move up to MW if Silva is still champ,and then he'll retire.

If Silva isn't champ we'll more than likely get the Diego match we all dream of.

GSPALLTHEWAY · 11-11-2006, 11:14 AM

the diego\hughes match we dream of??? i feel like hughes\gsp is a dream match or even a bj rematch... i still dont think diego is in that class..

anyways this is tough because hughes has had a great career... it does make some sense for him to retire at that point.. however i cant remotely route for him next week or vs BJ III.... so im kkinda in a tough spot.... how about loss loss then moving up and beating new MW champ matt linland or something

Bomber · 11-11-2006, 12:38 PM

I agree. Don't waste one of Hughes' last fights on Diego. Penn and GSP are more than enough to put Sanchez in perspective.

angryjonny · 11-11-2006, 12:41 PM

If Hughes only has 2 fights I definitely do not want to see one of them wasted on Diego. There are only 2 fights he needs which have already been mentioned.

PghPens71 · 11-11-2006, 12:49 PM

Oh baby... well he won't get past GSP for one and I can't wait to see the look on his face but good lord does the idea of him getting destroyed by Silva make me happy.... wow... I wonder if he was drunk during the interview. He should know better from clutching Rich's wife at UFC 64 after her hubby got barbarian plastic surgery....

Super Warrior · 11-11-2006, 12:59 PM

Hughes only 33 and considering retirement? Damn...they're retiring younger&younger these days.

Bomber · 11-11-2006, 01:08 PM

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Originally Posted by Super Warrior

Hughes only 33 and considering retirement? Damn...they're retiring younger&younger these days.

Or maybe it's just smart business. Hughes has two fights left and three/four matches that people are dying to see, ie rubber match with GSP should he lose, Penn, Silva and maybe Sanchez. He'd have major mojo in the negotiations by holding the retirement sword over the UFC's head. His retirement plan may be to milk those last couple of fights for all they're worth. I sure hope that's what he's doing. Stick around Matt, it's just getting more and more interesting.

GSPALLTHEWAY · 11-11-2006, 01:08 PM

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Originally Posted by angryjonny

If Hughes only has 2 fights I definitely do not want to see one of them wasted on Diego. There are only 2 fights he needs which have already been mentioned.

i agree.... i think... unless diego really establishes himself as champ after awhile it would be cool to see a hughes comeback like a gracie hughes type match... (only better)

and by the 2 you mean GSP and BJ i assume?

subgenius · 11-11-2006, 01:46 PM

Matt Hughes will not fight Anderson Silva. That just seems ridiculous. He has defeated Penn, so need to fight him again. He has already beaten GSP once, and is perfectly capable to do it again. If, as he says, he has two fights left, then he will retire after the fight against the winner of TUF4. Between Penn, GSP, and Diego, Matt Hughes has not fought Sanchez. That fight makes more sense to me. If GSP loses, then GSP will be 0-2 against the WW champ. Penn is 1-1, but Hughes has nothing to prove against Penn after destroying him in their last match.

At 33 I am a bit shocked that Hughes wants to retire. But, he has 44 fights. That is over three times as many fights as GSP and Penn each have in their career. By numbers of fights, Hughes has fought enough. What else does he have to prove? He can retire a champion. Go out on top. People will say that he was the greatest WW champion ever for a very long time.

sanjeevjoseph · 11-11-2006, 01:53 PM

He can't retire now. It doesn't make sense. He still needs to fight BJ, Sanchez and Silva at the very least. He's still at the top of his game.

Maybe he got a little nervous with his last BJ Penn fight, considering he came close to losing in the second round.

Gooner · 11-11-2006, 02:12 PM

I didn't even remember the TUF 4 winner's title-shot when I posted this.

If Hughes beats GSP, his second fight would be against Lytle/Serra. Talk about an anti-climactic ending of a career. I hope he's just bluffing.

stillstanding · 11-11-2006, 02:30 PM

This sucks. I understand that Hughes wants out. He may have lost the will to fight or he believes that his family is suffering.

Hughes is one of my favorite fighters and I really hate to see him go.

MuStAnG12687 · 11-11-2006, 02:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by asronn

wow!! I hate Hughes but now I want him to beat GSP so I can watch him fight Silva....I mean as much as I hate Hughes I think he is a great fighter and I have watched many events hoping to see him lose...I will be sad to see him go

I'm not really a Hughes fan...normally I wouldn't care if Hughes or GSP wins...but I'm going to be pulling for Hughes as well because I would like to see him face Silva and I think that would be a pretty good fight. Hughes would be very motivated if he has his WW belt going for the MW belt because he knows what’s on the line for a potential fight with Silva. Hughes would have a good chance in a fight with Silva because I think that a wrestling based fighter has the best chance at beating a Silva--taking him down will limit Silva's amazing stand-up...