VCURamFan
04-10-2010, 10:54 PM
From MMAWeekly.com:
HUGHES NOW 2 FOR 2 AGAINST GRACIE FAMILY[/FONT]
http://www.mmaweekly.com/absolutenm/articlefiles/11208-HughesTrigg054UFC52.jpg
Former UFC welterweight champion Matt Hughes made it 2 for 2 against the Gracie family on Saturday in Abu Dhabi as he decided to out strike Renzo Gracie for three rounds, punishing the Brazilian with leg kicks before blasting him with punches to end it late in the fight.
Two ground fighters stepped into the octagon at UFC 112, but a stand-up fight broke out with both Hughes and Gracie deciding to stand instead of ever hitting the mat during the bout.
The early going showed a strong counter attack from Renzo Gracie, who tried to time Hughes and catch him with punches, but never connected with anything heavy. On the other side, Hughes employed a disciplined striking attack centered around leg kicks that punished the Brazilian's legs at every turn.
By the third round, Gracie's legs were like rubber as he started to wear out and fell to his back a couple times in the round as Hughes continued to blast away at his lead leg. Hughes knew Gracie was fading so he stepped in and threw heavy uppercuts, as Gracie wilted under the pressure and referee Herb Dean stopped the fight.
"I was actually pretty happy," said Hughes about his performance. "I knew Renzo came in throwing strong, wide looping punches, so I tried to stay in tight, move away and just do things real simple."
Traditionally a wrestler who uses his ground and pound to soften up opponents, Hughes admits that he had a specific stand-up gameplan to employ against Gracie, and he stuck to it the entire time.
"I'm fighting a Gracie, somebody like Renzo, I've got to put the odds in my side," said Hughes.
As for Gracie, the legend had the crowd on his side in Abu Dhabi, but looked tired as the fight wore on. UFC commentator Joe Rogan asked him very simply after the fight if he believes he should have taken a tune-up fight before stepping in with someone like Hughes for his first bout back in over 2 years.
"What kind of fighter would I be if I did that?" Gracie answered.
With the win, Hughes has defeated another legend, but he might have another Renzo Gracie blackbelt staring him down in the future with both Matt Serra and Ricardo Almeida in his division.
Good stuff in BOLD.
HUGHES NOW 2 FOR 2 AGAINST GRACIE FAMILY[/FONT]
http://www.mmaweekly.com/absolutenm/articlefiles/11208-HughesTrigg054UFC52.jpg
Former UFC welterweight champion Matt Hughes made it 2 for 2 against the Gracie family on Saturday in Abu Dhabi as he decided to out strike Renzo Gracie for three rounds, punishing the Brazilian with leg kicks before blasting him with punches to end it late in the fight.
Two ground fighters stepped into the octagon at UFC 112, but a stand-up fight broke out with both Hughes and Gracie deciding to stand instead of ever hitting the mat during the bout.
The early going showed a strong counter attack from Renzo Gracie, who tried to time Hughes and catch him with punches, but never connected with anything heavy. On the other side, Hughes employed a disciplined striking attack centered around leg kicks that punished the Brazilian's legs at every turn.
By the third round, Gracie's legs were like rubber as he started to wear out and fell to his back a couple times in the round as Hughes continued to blast away at his lead leg. Hughes knew Gracie was fading so he stepped in and threw heavy uppercuts, as Gracie wilted under the pressure and referee Herb Dean stopped the fight.
"I was actually pretty happy," said Hughes about his performance. "I knew Renzo came in throwing strong, wide looping punches, so I tried to stay in tight, move away and just do things real simple."
Traditionally a wrestler who uses his ground and pound to soften up opponents, Hughes admits that he had a specific stand-up gameplan to employ against Gracie, and he stuck to it the entire time.
"I'm fighting a Gracie, somebody like Renzo, I've got to put the odds in my side," said Hughes.
As for Gracie, the legend had the crowd on his side in Abu Dhabi, but looked tired as the fight wore on. UFC commentator Joe Rogan asked him very simply after the fight if he believes he should have taken a tune-up fight before stepping in with someone like Hughes for his first bout back in over 2 years.
"What kind of fighter would I be if I did that?" Gracie answered.
With the win, Hughes has defeated another legend, but he might have another Renzo Gracie blackbelt staring him down in the future with both Matt Serra and Ricardo Almeida in his division.
Good stuff in BOLD.