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By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
Last year's UFC Fan Expo before UFC 100 brought the induction of Chuck Liddell into the UFC Hall of Fame. At this year's edition of the Fan Expo, another longtime UFC veteran and former Champion joined the ranks.
Matt Hughes.
With 17 victories in the Octagon, Hughes is the winningest fighter in UFC history. Hughes fought for the UFC Welterweight Championship 12 times, winning nine of those bouts over two reigns as Champion. He was the second fighter in UFC history to successfully defend his Title five straight times, and he owns the record for most career UFC Title defenses with seven.
His list of accolades makes him an easy candidate for the UFC's Hall of Fame, and he'll join Liddell and Randy Couture as the only current Hall of Famers active in the UFC. The UFC's Hall of Fame now consists of fighters Hughes, Liddell, Couture, Coleman, Dan Severn, Ken Shamrock and Royce Gracie, as well as Charles "Mask" Lewis, the only non-fighter in the Hall of Fame inducted posthumously at last year's expo.
Hughes told UFC.com today that he was shocked initially when he got word from Dana White that he was this year's inductee.
"I just never thought about it, to be honest, so yeah, it came out of the blue,” he said. “I really thought a lot about it the first couple of days after Dana told me, and I really didn't know what to think about it. I've always been the type of guy who thought that somebody who gets inducted into the Hall of Fame needs to be a retired individual. That's just my train of thought. But I'm very privileged and I thank the UFC."
With 44 career wins to just seven professional losses, Hughes will continue his career this summer when he meets Ricardo Almeida at UFC 117 in Oakland, Calif. But there may not be too many fights left for the former Champ after that.
"[I'm] looking at around 12 months [before retirement]. We have a five month old girl, and she's now getting a personality where she can move around in her crib and this and that, and in 12 months I want to be able to raise my kids, all of them. In 12 months she's gonna be needing someone to keep her out of the refrigerator.
"So that's my goal, but you know what, the last fight against Renzo (Gracie at UFC 112), I had a fun time in there. I like Renzo, he's always been respectful to me and he's just a nice guy. But I had a fun time in there, and if they keep going like that, who knows when I'm gonna stop, to be honest.”
However long he continues his career, he'll always be known as one of the most successful fighters the UFC has ever seen, and his Hall of Fame status cements that sentiment.
Penick's Analysis: Hughes is more than deserving of this honor, and whether you love him or hate him as a fan there can be nothing but respect for the career he put together in the UFC. The numbers more than speak for themselves, and considering the fighters he's lost to in the UFC (outside of Dennis Hallman, of course), they've all been the best of the best in Georges St. Pierre (twice), B.J. Penn and Thiago Alves. So congratulations go out to Hughes for a well deserved distinction, and he's now officially in league with some of the most influential and important fighters in the UFC's history.
[Matt Hughes photo courtesy of UFC.com]
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Jamie Penick, editor-in-chief
(mmatorcheditor@gmail.com)
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Chris Park - Matt Pelkey
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