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With Matt Hughes perhaps approaching his final fight on Saturday against Josh Koscheck, what is your favorite Matt Hughes fight and why?
RICH HANSEN, MMATORCH COLUMNIST
Disclaimer: I am going to violate the spirit of this question. I have two favorite Matt Hughes fights, and I can't separate them from each other. Both fights were against a fierce rival, both were heavily hyped fights, and both had spectacular finishes. That's right, my favorite Matt Hughes fights are his two losses against B.J. Penn at UFC 46 and UFC 123.
I love Matt Hughes, especially now that his bromance with B.J. is deep enough to rival my own personal B.J. Penn man crush. But come on, man, Of all of the fights Hughes has been in, seeing B.J. shock the world at UFC 46, and seeing B.J. announce to the world that he was BACK stand above all the other Hughes fights.
And those fights against Trigg didn't suck either.
FRANK HYDEN, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR
I've never been a huge Matt Hughes fan, to be honest. However, I did really like his first fight against Carlos Newton at UFC 34 where Hughes won by knockout after slamming Newton to the mat. That was a damn powerful slam and I remember the controversy about whether Hughes was out as well. I remember Newton holding the top of the cage as well so I don't have a lot of sympathy for his claim that Hughes was out, though.
ANWAR PEREZ, MMATORCH COLUMNIST
Hands down my favorite fight of his is when he faced Frank Trigg the second time at UFC 52. That was a monumental fight that has been embedded in many fan's brains due to the comeback from a low blow by Trigg, that resulted in Hughes picking up, and carrying Trigg across the cage for a huge slam. Such a great moment. And also, the very first UFC PPV that I ever watched. Monumental and memorable for many reasons.
ERIC HOBAUGH, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR
His UFC 34 fight with Carlos Newton back in November 2001 was my favorite. Newton had just won the title from Pat Miletech and Hughes was making a statement with this fight. The first round had been pretty even. At the start of the second round, Hughes took Newton down and Newton secured a triangle choke. I thought the fight was over at that moment. In a last ditch effort Hughes picked up Newton and tried holding Newton above his head and resting him on the cage to lesson the effect of the hold. You can see from the replay before Hughes slams Newton and knocks him out, that he is himself almost out on his feet. When they hit the canvas, they are both unconscious. Hughes comes to and Newton is out cold. Matt Hughes has to be told he won the fight. Best Matt Hughes fight of many.
MATT PELKEY, MMATORCH COLUMNIST
I've never been a Matt Hughes fan. In fact, I've outwardly disliked him for years. As such, my favorite Matt Hughes fight is the third B.J. Penn fight. Does this make me a bad person?
CHRIS PARK, MMATORCH UK SPECIALIST
For me it has to be his dramatic comeback win against Frank Trigg.
Having being caught by an accidental head-butt; Trigg pounded on Hughes to an inch of taking his title. Hughes somehow survived, scooped Trigg up onto his shoulder, ran the length of the Octagon and then drilled him into the canvass.
It's up there with the best ever come backs and is one of the defining moments in the career of the man I still regard to be the greatest welterweight of all time. @MMATorchUK
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