Filed under: UFC
Matt Hughes couldn't bring himself to call it quits on Saturday night. Even before the fight, he admitted that his wife wanted him to retire, and then he got knocked unconscious by Josh Koscheck. That's not going to convince Mrs. Hughes to reconsider her opinion, but it also wasn't enough to get the decorated legend to utter the hardest words a fighter must ever say. It was a second straight loss for Hughes, and more to the point, it was the second straight time we've seen his body go limp as he ate strikes from an opponent. The caliber of fighter he's losing to isn't the problem; dropping matches to BJ Penn and Koscheck is nothing to be ashamed about. But it's the way he's lost both that is concerning.
As we continue to learn more and more about brain health and the effects of repetitive trauma, you have to wonder if it's truly worth it for Hughes to continue on. After 54 fights and a nearly 14-year career, it might be time for Hughes to walk away and enjoy his millions with his family.
He's not so sure though. After the fight, the first words out of his mouth were, "I'm not retiring." That was partially because he didn't want to make a snap decision, but if he was already thinking about it before Saturday, what positive development can he take out of the result? Still, UFC president Dana White believes that once Hughes talks things over with his family, he'll come to a sensible decision.
"I've known him for 10 years," White said at the UFC 135 post-fight press conference. "He's a competitor. He's really upset. He wanted to win this last fight, and I'm almost 100 percent positive he's going to retire."
Yet at least in the moments just after the loss, Hughes wouldn't commit to it, telling Joe Rogan he was going to tell the UFC to "put me on the shelf" as he ponders his next move.
There is no practical reason for Hughes to continue on. He has accomplished more in the octagon than nearly anyone else in UFC history. He holds the record for most wins (18), had two welterweight title reigns, and authored one of the most memorable moments in UFC history with his comeback win over Frank Trigg at UFC 52.
At different times of his career, Hughes had winnings streaks of 18 and 13 fights, respectively. He holds wins over current or former UFC champs Georges St-Pierre, BJ Penn, Sean Sherk and Carlos Newton. He beat two Gracies. He's already in the UFC Hall of Fame. I could go on.
At 37 years old though, what is the upside of Hughes continuing on? Losing two straight, he can't be included in the title picture, and as he falls down the rankings, will he be as interested in fights against lesser names?
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Yet when you hear Hughes talk, he emphasizes how much he still loves everything about fighting. He loves to train, he loves being in the gym with his training partners and friends, he loves learning and competing. The same things that made him so successful all these years may work against him now. How do you quit something you love?
That's not to say that Hughes couldn't possibly find success if he chose to continue on. Many people thought Hughes was done nearly three years ago, when he lost three out of four, all by finish. But he bounced back with three straight wins, beating Matt Serra, Renzo Gracie and Ricardo Almeida.
He could do it again. The right matchups could put Hughes back on the winning track. But the thing is, Hughes has never asked for the "right" matchups, he's asked for the best in the division.
It's largely disrespectful to tell a legend when to walk away (unless you are married to said legend), so I won't do that here. Hughes has earned the right to call his own shots. If he wants to give it one more go, I'm sure he'll find the motivation to train hard and walk into the octagon in the best possible shape, and I'm just as sure that the fans will rally behind him. No one wants to see a great career end badly. Hughes doesn't want this Koscheck loss as his last fight memory any more than his wife wants to see him fight one more time. But you also can't guarantee a fairy tale ending.
Here's hoping Hughes finds peace with his decision, whatever it is. It's been a legendary career full of superlatives. It's been a career to be celebrated. But right now, the finish of his UFC 135 loss is a perfect symbol of where he is in 2011. One second left, youth overwhelming experience, and time running out.
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Source: http://mmafighting.com/2011/09/25/after-second-straight-ko-loss-time-running-out-on-matt-hughes/
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