Mike Swick: Matt Hughes Is Ducking the AKA Fighters
by Kid Nate on Sep 29, 2009 5:24 PM EDT
in MMA News
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Mike Swick talking to Cage Potato:
Speaking of Koscheck, I thought it was kind of odd that he called out Hughes after beating Frank Trigg. You've been trying to get that fight with Hughes for months now.
We knew he wasn't going to take the fight before we called him out. We -- me and Fitch -- actually told Koscheck to do that. Fitch has asked for him before and then I asked for him and the UFC told me I wasn't going to get that fight. So before Koscheck's fight we were talking and we just said, ‘Hey, why don't you try it and see if he'll fight you.'
It almost sounds like you guys don't even want to fight him so much as you just want to keep after him for not taking a fight with one of you. Like it's become a game in itself at this point.
It is. There's no real motivation anymore to fight him. We know he's not going to agree to it. It's just a game now. He won't take a fight with any of us and we're just going to keep continuously calling him out.
Steve Cofield comments:
We've seen one bully confronted, back down this month and now a fun situation is developing between Matt Hughes and the fellas at American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose. Does it mean another "retirement" on the way? Probably not. It's doubtful that Hughes will walk away from the sport like Quinton Jackson did because he's getting beating up verbally, but the former welterweight champ needs to save face and challenge one of the three AKA fighters who are calling him out. Josh Koscheck, Jon Fitch and Mike Swick are legit top 10 UFC welterweights and it's getting to the point where they're laughing at Hughes.
The AKA guys get a lot of heat online for being a three man roadblock in the UFC welterweight division because they won't fight each other (presumably that would change if one of them ever managed to win the title). But Matt Hughes has so far evaded much criticism for declining to fight the formidable trio from AKA.
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AKA fighters are ducking AKA fighters
█♣█
A wise man told me don't argue with fools
Cause people from a distance can't tell who is who -- Jay-Z
by thetakeover on Sep 29, 2009 7:32 PM EDT via mobile up reply actions 2 recs
I think the logjam at 170 has more to do with the fact that the top two contenders are also the two previous contenders. Nothing is stopping Kos or Swick from fighting Alves- except for the fact that Alves would smash them and we’d be right back at square one. Nothing is stopping Hardy or any non-AKA contender from fighting Fitch- except for the fact that Fitch would smash them.
So the UFC is taking Fitch and Alves out of the equation, but in the process stealing some of the legitimacy of anyone claiming to be a contender.
I would rather see Daley vs Alves or Fitch vs Alves 2
by SouthAlaBamaRampage on Sep 29, 2009 5:44 PM EDT up reply actions
Not quite smashed.
It was a dominant decision, but Alves mostly stuffed Kos’s wrestling and boxed him around a bit.
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better. -Samuel Beckett
by Scott C. Broussard on Sep 29, 2009 6:07 PM EDT up reply actions
In Kos’ defence, didn’t he take that fight on really short notice?
I am the bastard love child of Junie Browning and Diamond Dave Kaplan.
Yup, he took the fight with just 2 weeks notice.
"Did you feel you did well against Lindland?" "
Hell no.. I wanted to break the law"
---Rampage
by TearsofaClown on Sep 29, 2009 8:53 PM EDT up reply actions
If Swick, Kos, and Fitch were willing to fight each other, whomever ended up winning out of the next fight or two would be a reasonable challenger and allow the division more time to come up with another.
"I see him beating Anderson Silva. I see him picking him apart. Him at a 131 years old...(trails off)." - Tito Ortiz on Vitor Belfort at Affliction:DOR
by Rundownloser on Sep 29, 2009 7:35 PM EDT up reply actions
So basically they are playing games by
calling out a former champ who has clearly lost it? Why not be men & actually call out somone like oh I dont know, the current champ GSP? Real classy guys.
Arguing on the internet is like being in the special olympics, even when you win you are still retarded.
Or maybe Kos should call out
the guy who just KTFO’d him (Thiago) instead of someone who in actuality should be retired.
Arguing on the internet is like being in the special olympics, even when you win you are still retarded.
Your point please?
Arguing on the internet is like being in the special olympics, even when you win you are still retarded.
Hughes has earned the right to choose his opponents...
Especially this late in his career. Anderson Silva has the privilege, and Hughes has been with the UFC for about 7 more years than him. I side with Hughes when he blogged that the Koscheck and Swick fights would do nothing for him. Yes, they are ‘contenders’, but neither of them would do anything for Hughes’ legacy even with a convincing win. Beating Hallman or shutting Trigg up again would be much more satisfying for Hughes. He deserves an easy fight anyway, he has taken on only top 10 opponents for years now. Lytle is the last fight I thought Hughes really was given a gimme fight, so let the man choose what he wants.
Besides,
all three guys would smash him. Matt Serra beat him (dont care what anyone says) and he’s lost it. Fitch by decision, Kos by KO, Swick by TKO. : )
"I will knock your hair black!"- Ken Shamrock to Tito Ortiz
I’ll grant you Kos & Fitch, but I think Hughes takes Swick down and rides him for a pretty easy decision win.
I would absolutely love it
if Hughes would take a fight with Swick because I honestly believe Hughes would smash Swick and then let him see whos laughing. As for Fitch and Kos, Hughes should and will stay away from those fights.
Seriously?
Swick has the fast and explosive power to put Hughes out while Hughes has no stand up. Hughes could lay on him for awhile, dont see it happening. Swick by TKO.
"I will knock your hair black!"- Ken Shamrock to Tito Ortiz
I agree.
Everyone is saying Hughes is done, but look at who he has lost to. If losing to GSP & Alves means you are done, then 90% of the WW division needs to retire.
Um dude.
He looked pretty past his prime against Serra and I dont think Serra is even top 10 anymore. Correct me if I’m wrong. But in all honesty, the Matt Hughes of old should been ALOT more dominant. Matt Serra was able to take him down…’nuff said.
"I will knock your hair black!"- Ken Shamrock to Tito Ortiz
These guys are pathetic
I can’t believe I am starting to dislike a group of 170 fighters more than Matt Hughes. Good job, guys.
BOOSH
How big of a jerk do you have to be...
To make Hughes look like a victim?
"Japan is half-Machida" - iiowyn
If they’re legit why are they trying to pick and choose their opponents? especially a guy on his way out.
Go beat a guy like paulo thiago before you open your trap bitch..
These guys cry about “how it’s impossible for us to fight each other”,,, then turn around and pick on a fucking senior citizen… real brave.
I dont hear any of them calling out Paul Daley? or Johnson?
The reality is none of these guys will have an ounce of the legacy Hughes has because they cant touch GSP so they have to resort to picking on an old guy.
Hardy played this game with Marcus Davis… but that was Marcus Davis. you dont play that shit with a guy who helped build this sport so you snot nose punks could have your own stupid ass T-shirts.
Mutherfukers.
by mmalogic on Sep 29, 2009 5:31 PM EDT reply actions 6 recs
But if Hughes is a Senior citizen....
…I’m a relic. For real though. Show some respect for a future hall of famer that actually beat GSP via armbar. 2 of 3 of these guys guy manhandled by the champ already.
Forward Ever, Backward Never...
Old or not. Hughes has massive name value. Beating him would be the biggest name win they could get at welterweight. I don’t see how wanting to put a massive name on your record suddenly makes you a snot nosed mutherfucking punk?
That shit is for boxing… Paul Daley called out swick. Swick said he doesnt deserve that fight yet. So swick is calling out Hughes?
That’s a snot nose mutherfuking punk. You dont pick and choose your opponents based on who’s the biggest name you can easily beat.. this is not a poker house where you can pick your tables.
Yeh i love those post-fight interviews when Rogan asks who they would like to fight next and they “i don’t mind, whoever the UFC tells me to fight that’s who i wanna fight”. yawn fucking yawn. From Swick’s perspective if Hughes accepts the fight it’s a win win for him. The only way he will ever find out if he will fight him is by calling him out.
ofcourse it benefits Swick… it’s the easy and low hanging fruit.
Hughes has a great legacy… he’s out of the title picture – he doesnt need to fight these punks. He has done enough to now take fights that interest HIM.
If he wants to continue fighting, opponents ranked in the top 10 of his weightclass should interest him.
Fedor fought Zulu, Hong Man Choi, a 185lb fighter, etc… WHILE HE WAS AT THE TOP.
UFC champs dont pick and choose their fights… so they don’t have the luxury to prolong their reigns at the top like boxers and Fedor does. Let the man now cash in his “pension” fund for all the great experiences he afforded us… he certainly deserves it.
He paid his dues and can now do whatever he wants – and not you nor I have any right to say “well if he wants to continue fighting then he needs to fight the top 10”
Or like that time he fought Royce Gracie!!……
I am the bastard love child of Junie Browning and Diamond Dave Kaplan.
Or when Liddell fought Jeremy Horn!!…
I am the bastard love child of Junie Browning and Diamond Dave Kaplan.
Or GSP beat the winner of a reality show made up of guys who were washed out ex-UFC fighters!!…
I am the bastard love child of Junie Browning and Diamond Dave Kaplan.
GSP didn’t beat that reality show winner. He got knocked the fuck out by him.
Serra was the defending WW champion when GSP beat him.
He was still a reality-show winner when GSP beat him. Rashad Evans is still a reality show winner. Forrest Griffin is still a reality-show winner. They haven’t lost that status over time. I’m not criticizing them for it, mind you, it’s just a fact.
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better. -Samuel Beckett
by Scott C. Broussard on Sep 30, 2009 12:00 AM EDT up reply actions
Horn had a win over Lidell… but who was a better option at the time?
Wand was even brought into the octagon to try and make that fight happen.
Rampage was given a shot right away.
No easy road for a UFC champ.
And I was just about to post – I’m not saying that absolves Fedor…but these guys have all been given “easy” fights at some point in their reigns.
The UFC has done something for “ratings” too – it is a business after all.
I am the bastard love child of Junie Browning and Diamond Dave Kaplan.
Fully agreed.
I am the bastard love child of Junie Browning and Diamond Dave Kaplan.
Anderson Silva DEFINITELY picks and chooses his fights.
I am the bastard love child of Junie Browning and Diamond Dave Kaplan.
Well...
he won’t fight: Dan Henderson, Nate Marquardt, Lyoto Machida, Lil Nog…
I am the bastard love child of Junie Browning and Diamond Dave Kaplan.
The only UFC champs who have ducked fights were Tito (which he ultimately came back and ended up fighting chuck anyway) and Frank Shamrock (who wasn’t involved with the Zuffa owned UFC other than broadcasting).
that is an awfully broad claim
you might be right but I think Frank Shamrock faced and beat as formidable a string of opponents in his title run as anyone in MMA history so you’re spinning out of whole cloth with the dodged Bas Rutten angle.
Perhaps he did duck Bas, but the inarguable fact of the matter is that SEG was losing champions left and right in that period because of their inability to pay shit.
The real tragedy of Shamrock’s career is that he never worked out terms with PRIDE. If he ducked anyone it was the prospect of being thrown to the sharks by the infamously erratic PRIDE bookers.
Follow me on Twitter @KidNate
Who said he didnt deserved his title his acclaim at the time? Im talking about ducking and protecting your reign at the top once you’re there.
Frank ducking Bas Rutten was for financial reasons? Ironically Bas was able to come to terms though. How many MMA fighters were sitting out like Frank?
Couture was fighting… chuck was fighting… Tito was fighting…
But lets say it was for Financial reasons… conveniently he also couldn’t come to terms with pride? when every other fighter in the world could?
Yeah he wasn’t ducking anybody and protecting his reign at the top… pfft.
Ironically when he ultimately decided to finally come back he ends up losing to his hand picked over the hill opponent Renzo Gracie. Just Deserts.
that period was called the dark ages for a reason
Ken Shamrock. Don Frye. Tank Abbott. Dan Severn. all walked away from MMA for pro wrestling during this period.
Bas Rutten never defended his UFC belt. Knee injuries were a factor, but the low pay was probably as well.
Every other fighter in the world did not come to terms with PRIDE. That’s a patently silly statement.
Also Tito and Chuck were not stars at that point in time.
Follow me on Twitter @KidNate
And you're kidding yourself
if you don’t think he had a handpicked list of guys he would fight for his move up to 205.
I am the bastard love child of Junie Browning and Diamond Dave Kaplan.
Your confused with defending your belt with moving up a weight class… and no he didn’t hand pick Forrest.
Vera was also on the table but he refused the fight so he fought irvin.
But again moving up a weight class is not defending your belt.
You’re right. I’ve moved away from the original line of argument re: champs padding their title reigns.
My point was that fighters do some legacy building from time to time – nowhere near Pride levels however – and it’s in the course of facing all or most of the top level contenders.
I am the bastard love child of Junie Browning and Diamond Dave Kaplan.
by The_Gaijin on Sep 30, 2009 9:57 AM EDT via mobile up reply actions
Do you really believe he would turn down any
current 205er other than Machida? Ha
Arguing on the internet is like being in the special olympics, even when you win you are still retarded.
Funny thing is if they shut the fuck up, i’m sure that Hughes would love to fight any of them but I think he’s the one playing the games and they are too stupid to realise that. The more they talk, it will just guarantee that Hughes won’t fight them and get the big money fight that they want so realistically they are losing out on a big match because of their own actions. .
I think Hughes is waiting for Baroni to beat Sadollah and fight him
by SouthAlaBamaRampage on Sep 29, 2009 5:46 PM EDT reply actions
If Hughes reponded to every guy who challenged him ...
… he would have to fight every week.
Thats bad analysis
But Matt Hughes has so far evaded much criticism for declining to fight the formidable trio from AKA.
I have no problem with Matt Hughes not fighting any of these guys. He doesn’t want to end his career being a guy that other fighters make their name off of when he clearly isn’t the fighter he was. He doesn’t want to be looking up at the lights while someone uses his reputation to get a title fight like Thiago Alves did. And frankly, Matt Hughes was such a great fighter he seems to understand that he doesn’t want to end his career like Chuck Liddell going 1-4. Why do that? I wouldn’t want to let some young guys, who won’t fight each other, try and steal a title shot by beating me.
Matt Hughes has earned the right to only fight the fights he wants too that make the most sense for him. Frankly, after the Serra fight there is really no business left unfinished for him in the UFC. It makes AKA look like whining morons as they, at the top of their games, won’t fight each other but want to pick off a former champ in his late thirties.
And I actually want to see Matt Hughes vs. Josh Koscheck, it would be an interesting old school vs. new school, power wrestler vs. stubborn striker fight with two guys who know how to talk shit and sell a fight.
The fact is, these AKA guys have done nothing to earn the right to call out Hughes. Hughes, whatever you think of him, has fought the very best ever and beaten all of them from Newton, Trigg, Sherk, St-Pierre, Penn, Sakarai, and Gracie; he held the welterweight tile twice over a 4 year, 14 fight run. Sure he was dick on TV or whatever, but I don’t blame Hughes for him not wanting people to remember the end of his career as someone mid-level jobber who lost to guys he would have eaten alive in his prime.
I want to see these AKA guys have the stones to fight each other before they call out fading legends to pad their records.
clearly I didn't put my finger in the wind before making this post
to me Hughes should either retire or take the tough fights.
When Frank Shamrock does this same stuff people shit all over him.
Follow me on Twitter @KidNate
I agree with you. To me there’s something depressing about watching former greats have to take easy fights so they don’t get smashed. Cro Cop and Liddell are examples as well.
Dos Santos was an easy fight?
Rashad Evans & Shogun Rua were easy fights?
'He built his whole reputation as a waffle house chef. They’ve been serving him up ham and eggs with a side of canned tomatoes' - Don Frye on Fedor Emelianenko
by Well Read Idiot on Sep 30, 2009 8:20 AM EDT up reply actions
"Cro Cop and Liddell are examples as well"
What the hell are you smoking dude? Undefeated Rashad Evans, Shogun, Rampage & Jackson for Liddell & CroCop had Dos Santos & Gonzaga. Dos Santos is an up & comer with massive power & at the time Gonzaga looked like a world beater.
Arguing on the internet is like being in the special olympics, even when you win you are still retarded.
You cant compare Shamrocks parade to this… Hughes fought the best until better fighters came and beat him.
He didn’t take the belt and runaway once he realized he couldn’t hand pick his opponents and ultimately one day lose. Matt continued to test himself until better fighters came along.
Matt is done – everybody knows it. Now let the man take the fights that interests him.
In UFC the champs don’t pick and choose their fights to prolong their reigns like in boxing… so at least once their time is done let them make some paydays on their previous efforts oustide of the title picture.
Matt can fight 2 times a year for another 3 years. Let them enjoy their “retirement package”.
I assumed that was the point of them giving guys like Hughes and Randy these new big, multi-fight contracts.
They are for all intents and purposes done as top level fighters, but they still bring lots of eyes – so let them have some money fights against guys that aren’t the new breed and championship contenders so that they don’t end up like Don Frye.
I am the bastard love child of Junie Browning and Diamond Dave Kaplan.
Well other than the fact that Couture is apparently getting a shot at Machida if he beats Vera.
I am the bastard love child of Junie Browning and Diamond Dave Kaplan.
Frank should have went to PRIDE? Yes. But the UFC didn’t have anything for him then. Can’t blame the guy for retiring. I doubt it had anything to do with being scared, especially considering he already fought some of the best fighters in the world by then
ahh...Beat me by 5 sec.
I am the bastard love child of Junie Browning and Diamond Dave Kaplan.
He left when he had the MW (200lb) title because he was ducking the newly signed Bas Rutten. Allegedly.
I am the bastard love child of Junie Browning and Diamond Dave Kaplan.
there's also the little factor
that the UFC couldn’t pay jack shit at the time.
Follow me on Twitter @KidNate
Pride could… why didnt he go there?
You think it a coincidence that he ended up fighting Cesar Gracie who has like no fighting experience? and then Renzo Gracie?
So instead of losing to the BEST like a MAN he ducked and ran and ended up losing to nobodies.
Matt Hughes now has a right to fight all the “Cesar Gracies” if he wants. You cant even compare the 2.
Frank almost went to PRIDE
and in fact was introduced at an event and make an in ring announcement at one point. His claim is that they wouldn’t tell him who he would be fighting and he wanted to face Sakuraba and not a random heavyweight. No telling where the truth lies, but I that a Zuffa shill is not the place to get the truth about Frank Shamrock.
Follow me on Twitter @KidNate
here’s the truth:
Every other fighter in the world could come to terms with a fight organization but Frank Couldn’t?
How many fighters sat out like Frank? oh, ok…
Frank could have fought Lindland outside of the UFC after the dark ages… why didnt he? Finally when he decides to come back he cant even beat his hand picked Renzo Gracie.
But then again… a fanboy is not the place to get the truth about frank shamrock.
Frank Shamrock was an innovator, pioneer and he had an edge over other fighters… but once he realized that edge was gone he didnt test himself against the best to prove it – he tucked and hid only to come out and lose to a 155lber.
I'm a fan of Frank Shamrock
call me a fanboy if you want, I don’t mind.
But if Zuffa wasn’t so obsessed with shitting on him I wouldn’t be defending him.
I would much rather have seen Frank defend his legacy, but he built the legacy and didn’t feel he could get the paydays to justify risking them until Strikeforce and EliteXC came around.
But it’s entirely disingenuous for you of all people to suddenly defend PRIDE’s shady business practices. I think it was less the money than his concern that he would be fucked over the way Guy Mezger and many others were by the PRIDE management.
You’ve done an excellent job of shifting the topic away from Matt Hughes to Frank Shamrock. You are a shill’s shill. My hat is off to you sir. I’ve done a good bit of shilling myself and I recognize good work when i see it.
Follow me on Twitter @KidNate
Every other fighter was able to fight except Frank Shamrock?
Why wouldnt he fight Matt Lindland in the WFA?
He came out to cash in on his “legacy” and couldnt even beat his hand picked opponents.
His legacy is shit because he wouldn’t fight the best fighters. Matt Hughes continued to challenge himself and lost to the best fighters in the world.
Frank Shamrock, as soon as he made a name for himself ducked every challenge there was and then lost to nobodies. What kind of legacy is that?
You can make excuses for him any which way – but the fact is every top fighter in the world was employed while he was hiding in a cave… and when he comes out Ill grant you the excuse of “big bad Zuffa has restrictive contracts” so instead of fighting guys like Matt Lindland outside of the UFC he hand picks nobodies and then loses!
Who’s obsessed with shitting on him? you’re the one who compared Matt Hughes to him… which is an insult to Matt Hughes and borderline fighter bashing.
If Matt Hughes left the UFC as champ after beating BJ penn… and instead of fighting GSP and Alves – and even ducking guys like Shields or Nick DIaz outside of the UFC – hand picks guys like eve’s edwards and loses then you can compare Matt Hughes to Frank Shamrock.
pfft
you can’t take away Shamrock’s run. sorry.
He did nothing worse than Royce Gracie as far as ducking fights and protecting his legacy. Dude is smart.
Follow me on Twitter @KidNate
By the way it’s Bas Rutten saying Frank ducked and left not UFC.
Did chuck tuck tale and run once Rampage came into the UFC? NO – he wanted that fight as soon as possible. Chuck even wanted to go back to pride if he had to get that fight.
Chuck, Randy, Matt Hughes, Franklin etc… all lost to the best because they continued to challenge themselves instead of hand picking easy fights to maintain and prolong their status or “brand”.
Now they deserve and have every right to cash in on that integrity they delivered to US THE FANS – with fights that makes sense for them as they close out their careers.
They seemed to have lots of cash (relative to the time) to lure Bas over. And it’s not like Frank went and fought where there was tons of money elsewhere, as logif points out.
I am the bastard love child of Junie Browning and Diamond Dave Kaplan.
in that same era they
lost Randy Couture, Ken Shamrock, Don Frye, Mark Coleman, Mark Kerr, and many many others. They tended to have enough money to pay one top fighter at a time.
Bas and Frank both had a hard time going to PRIDE in part because of the murky politics of Pancrase vs PRIDE. And Frank was on the outs with Pancrase too so he literally had no political backers in Japan.
I agree that its a damn shame that Frank Shamrock walked away from the UFC and MMA at the peak of his physical prime but let’s not forget that his title run in the UFC is as good as anyone’s ever in MMA history in any division or any era.
Follow me on Twitter @KidNate
What makes you think Hughes won't take tough fights?
His last three fights have been a former champ (Serra), the #2 WW in the world (Alves) and the #1 WW in the world (GSP). He has never said he won’t fight those guys, nor does he have a history of refusing to take fights that the UFC puts in front of him.
If Joe Silva puts a contract in front of him, chances are that Hughes will sign it. But Silva hasn’t put a contract in front of him yet.
I’m not a Hughes fan, and actually used to like Swick, but this BS is just annoying. Until these guys are willing to fight each other they need to stop calling people out. The UFC should refuse to give any of them a title shot until they start fighting each other.
by Sliup on Sep 29, 2009 6:11 PM EDT reply actions 1 recs
I’m completely fine with Hughes “ducking” them – he’s paid his dues, he shouldn’t fight anyone he doesn’t want. (And I don’t even like Hughes, & I’m defending him.) I do support a rubber match between him & Penn, however. Let’s see if Penn separates a rib this time…
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better. -Samuel Beckett
by Scott C. Broussard on Sep 29, 2009 6:12 PM EDT reply actions
You know what, I'd pick Hughes
St-Pierre showed that size, power, and wrestling are Penn’s krypotnite. Its why Penn dominates at 155, nobody is that strong at that weight class.
Hughes is older & slower than GSP and has far inferior striking or planning.
Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better. -Samuel Beckett
by Scott C. Broussard on Sep 29, 2009 6:51 PM EDT up reply actions
LOL… now paul daley is calling Matt Hughes out.
The Matt Hughes fight has now become a “lottery” everyone is trying to win.
Nothing like a win over the best WW of all time on your record....
Where were these kids 2 years ago. That’s what I thought. Nothing like calling a legend out in the twilight of his career. These 3 better watch out, Matt might come out like Foreman and beat their ass.
Paul Daley adds his twocents
In interview with Fighters Only:
I want to fight Hughes, firstly because he’s a legend and second he’s former welterweight champion. He has a win over the current welterweight champion, and he has all the skills to exploit my weaknesses that the media and my ‘fans’ so often talk about," Daley told Fighters Only today.
"I want Hughes, I don’t see why he wouldn’t want to fight me, unless he thinks he’s gonna lose," Daley added. To him the fight is a no-brainer for Hughes. "He needs wins, I’m the young gun, he’s the favourite."
Asked if he is calling for a fight with Hughes because the former champion appears to be in the twilight of his career and at less than his prime, Daley answers emphatically in the negative. ""I think I’m going to beat everyone I step in the cage with, so it’s not that. He’s a big name, and I think the fight would be very entertaining."
Christ. They need to just own up to what they’re really thinking.
“I’d like to use the fading Matt Hughes as an easy stepping stone to a title-shot”
You propose the fighting equivalent of the anti-hype, if I was fighting someone I would want everyone to think my opponent was as legit as possible.
by HarryBolsagna on Sep 30, 2009 2:51 AM EDT up reply actions
I think the fight against Kos is great. The two preeminent wrestlers with insane skills in wrestling. It’s not a gimme for either guy. Why not?
I also see where the 3 are coming from. You get into a friendship and you start doing silly crap as a result of your fraternity. They’re just sort of having high school fun. Picking on the jock that used to be the most popular in school, and still walks around with the swagger.
And I’m no Hughes fan, but he should do whatever the hell he wants. He’s at that point. Fighting Daley makes sense to me. But he should fight whomever he wants aside from the champion and Alves.
As far as Hughes goes, I don’t blame him for not wanting to fight the AKA guys, as he’s got a lot to lose and nothing to gain. On the flipside, I don’t blame the AKA guys for calling him out for the opposite reasons.
I am pretty surprised that so many people are all aggro at them for calling him out. A lower half top 10 fighter calling out somebody higher up in the rankings than them? What’s wrong with that? If I’m Swick and I’m ranked #10, calling out the champ is getting a bit ahead of myself, but calling out a former champ who’s ranked ~#5 is a logical step up in competition. Looking at the BE rankings, Swick/Koscheck are ranked after Kampman (who just came off a high profile loss) and then Hughes. So somehow calling out the next guy up the ladder from you is a dick move?
This thread is a testament to how well liked Matt Hughes is, and also how quickly opinions change in this sport. The guy is an active top 10 welterweight. He is not some fallen legend that needs to be coddled. Jesus, let the guy at least fall out of the top 10 before you declare his entire career over. It must be an interesting situation to be top 10 (top 5 even) and have most of your fans consider you finished.
Matchmaking for Hughes has to be difficult though. You don’t really want him to derail any title contenders (as few as there are already) and you want him to draw as big as possible. Who would you rather see Hughes fight than say, Mike Swick? Frank Trigg again (Ugh)? Matt Serra again? I don’t want to see either of those fights.
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