Biography and Profile of Matt Hughes

At UFC 63, BJ Penn was beating Matt Hughes up on his feet in round one. In the second round, he caught Hughes in a triangle armbar that would've forced most to tap. But Hughes, who was raised on a farm in Hillsboro, Illinois, had been taught the country ideals of hard work, perseverance, and dedication. So he didn't tap. Instead, he engaged in a now famous comeback that ended with him raining down punches from the crucifix position.

Maybe it was his parents and the small town of 4,500 he grew up in. Perhaps it was that rivalry with twin brother Mark. Regardless, Hughes was taught never to quit. Here is his story.

Matt Hughes was born on October 13, 1973, in Hillsboro, Illinois.

Hughes is known for his years training with Miletich Fighting Systems in Iowa. However, he now trains with the HIT Squad in Granite City, Illinois, a gym that Hughes founded but is now owned by Jesse Finney. Hughes fights for the UFC, where he is known for coming out to the song "A Country Boy Can Survive," by Hank Williams Jr.

Matt and his brother needed to work on the farm; hence, they only engaged in wrestling and a very short track stint in junior high. By the time they were in high school, however, both Matt and Mark were football and wrestling stars. They both played linebacker and running back, and were All-Conference selections, with Matt rushing for over 800 yards as a senior.

Still, Matt excelled most in wrestling, making the Illinois State Championships four straight years. During his junior and senior years, he went 88-0, taking home two state championships in the 145 pound class.

After high school, both of the Hughes boys enrolled at Belleville Area College (BAC) for a year. Wrestling was cut as a sport after their freshman year, one in which Matt earned All American honors. Therefore, both turned to Lincoln College, where once again Matt achieved All American status as a grappler.

After his sophomore season, Matt accepted a scholarship at Eastern Illinois University. There he was named an All-American during both his junior and senior seasons. He earned an 8th place and then 5th place finish in the NCAA Division 1 championships respectively during his time at the school.

At Hughes' official website, it indicates that in 1996 a friend named Chris Dwyer approached him about fighting at a small show in the Chicagoland area. Matt won the fight and earned $100 in the process. However, at Sherdog.com, his first official professional fight is listed as having taken place on January 1, 1998, against Erick Snyder at a JKD event. Hughes won by slam KO, a move that he would later become known for. Early on he teamed with manager Monte Cox and Miletich Fighting Systems under Pat Miletich, which for a time would became known as the best MMA training camp in America.

Hughes officially went 17-1 before the UFC came calling in 2000. Surprisingly, he lost his debut for the organization against Dennis Hallman by way of submission. It was the second time he would lose to Hallman. However, in 2001 he would get another chance with the organization at UFC 34 against then welterweight champion Carlos Newtown. Newton had just defeated Hughes' coach Pat Miletich, for the title. Hughes won the fight in dramatic comeback fashion with a slam to take home the UFC title.

At UFC 46 2004), Penn moved up from lightweight to defeat Hughes in one of the greatest upsets in MMA history by way of rear naked choke. At UFC 63, Penn came back to the organization and challenged Hughes for the title he'd relinquished. In one of the greatest MMA fights and comebacks of all-time, Hughes won via TKO. However, their third fight went Penn's way, via a 21 second KO at UFC 123.

Hughes took on St. Pierre at UFC 50 in 2004, winning by armbar in a close fight. However, St. Pierre did defeat Hughes in rematches at both UFC 65 and UFC 79, both by stoppage. The Hughes-St. Pierre trilogy lives on as a very important one in the annals of MMA.

UFC Hall of Fame

In 2010, Matt Hughes was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame. With 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, it was very hard to argue against his acceptance. Hughes is and will always be known as one of the greatest UFC welterweight champions of all-time.

Personal Life

Hughes is a devout born again Christian. During a stint as coach on TUF 6, he spoke on the bible regularly to his team and often posts Bible verses on his website. Hughes is married to Audra, and they have two daughters together. They also each have a son from a previous relationship.

Some Memorable Matt Hughes Victories

• Hughes defeats BJ Penn via TKO at UFC 63: Many consider this to be one of the greatest MMA fights ever, and the signature win of Hughes' career. He mounted a comeback that ended in the third round with Penn caught in the crucifix position being hit by punches.
• Hughes defeats Frank Trigg by rear naked choke at UFC 52: Hughes was struck by a low blow early on that the referee didn't see, which left him in a bad position on the canvas. It looked as if Trigg would choke him out. But, as often has been the case with Hughes, he didn't succumb. Rather, he escaped his precarious position, picked Trigg up and slammed him in his corner, and then choked him out. This fight served as one of the great mixed martial arts comebacks of all-time.
• Hughes defeats Georges St. Pierre by armbar at UFC 50: Hughes was still in his prime; St. Pierre was yet to reach his. The bottom line is that any time you beat St. Pierre, it's a great victory.