Through its dark days there were a handful of premier performers whom the UFC could count on to deliver high-octane fights pride prior to mainstream acceptance.
By Brian Mallon
Matt Hughes was one of those individuals, a rock upon which the now billion dollar company was built.
Hughes' no nonsense farm boy approach to getting "the job" done, whatever that entailed (in those days possibly as much PR work as fistic exertion) meant that fans across the globe took him to their hearts as he dispatched each foe with simple yet brutal efficiency.
Regardless of the opposition Hughes was able to utilise his wrestling base whilst simultaneously progressing his initially basic stand up and ju-jitsu skills into a formidable arsenal.
In his prime Hughes was unstoppable. His suffocating top game was able to clinically pin opponents to the canvas where they subsequently wilted under a sustained onslaught of cutting elbows and savage hook combinations.
Sustained success can lead to complacency in any athlete and Hughes did display supreme self confidence (some would say arrogance) whilst acting as coach on season two of reality series The Ultimate Fighter.
Many analysts would however, suggest that any top-tier athlete must retain a level of self belief bordering on narcissism in order to dominate their sport as Hughes did the UFC's welterweight division during his record setting reign as 170 lb kingpin.
UFC president Dana White is in no doubt as to the contribution which the four time collegiate All-American wrestling champion made to the development of the UFC and sport of MMA as a whole.
Speaking at Hughes' induction into the UFC's Hall of Fame, White waxed lyrical about his welterweight star.
"When we look back at the history books, Matt Hughes will go down as one of the best 170er's of all time," he said.
"This is one of the guys who helped build this organisation. Matt's credentials as a mixed martial artist speak for themselves."
High praise indeed. Following his razor thin decision win over Matt Serra, a dominant display over a clearly out matched Renzo Gracie and entry into the UFC Hall of Fame what else is there for Hughes to prove or achieve.
The family first, deeply religious Iowan would be the first to admit that his physical tools are on the wane although he undoubtedly is still developing as a mixed martial artist.
Hughes remains a vital commodity for the UFC as they retain few stars which they can call upon at short notice to carry a pay per view card in a sport which will always be punctuated by injury related withdrawals.
In a similar vein to Rich Franklin's recent headlining of UFC 115, Hughes stepped in to face fearsome brawler Thiago Alves with little or no preparation time at UFC 85.
Yet with millions in the bank, a settled family life and lucrative coaching opportunities Hughes still continues to perform at the highest level in a sport where there are an ever present pack of young guns waiting to snatch the limelight.
So what now for the fierce Illinois competitor? ...depends on who you ask.
The triumvirate of top tier welterweights that reside at the shark pit that is the American Kickboxing Academy have vociferously claimed that Hughes must fight one of them in order to garner another tilt at the 170lb crown he once called his own.
Fitch, Koscheck and Swick believe that they represent the next logical test for Hughes but their motivation is no secret.
A victory over Hughes would propel their careers to new levels, such is the esteem with which the self-confessed country boy is held.
Indeed, victory over Hughes put Thiago Alves firmly in the title picture following their London 2008 showdown. Hughes himself cemented his own legacy by defeating the iconic Royce Gracie in one of the most anticipated yet one-sided fights in the organisations history.
Whilst the AKA trio do have a valid point to make, I for one contend that Hughes' UFC 117 opponent Ricardo "Big Dog" Almeida fits the mould of stiff divisional contender that they have called for Hughes to face.
Almeida is I believe one of the most under-rated fighters in the game today. If his decorated CV, which includes victories over the always tough Matt Brown and the surging Kendall Grove don't represent a threat to Hughes' title ambitions then his motivations for this pivotal bout certainly do.
Almeida watched in agony as his sensei Renzo Gracie was ruthlessly dismantled with vicious leg kicks by Hughes in his adopted home of Abu Dhabi.
Whilst the event was heralded as a night of dual title fights it was to be Gracie's moment to shine as he finally graced the octagon following a long and distinguished career as a fighter and coach.
What happened next must have been tough for Gracie's camp, pupils and fans to watch. Whilst all parties will strenuously deny any murmurs of a grudge match in the offing, this is an old fashioned revenge fight.
And now to my prediction for what may well be the most intriguing fight on a packed card. I believe that Almeida will, through shear athletic ability, pose questions that Serra and Gracie did not.
Tall, long and explosive Almeida has an under-rated stand-up game and peerless ju-jitsu within the 170lb weight class.
Hughes will struggle with the highly motivated Brazilian but should progress to a title eliminator match-up following a hard fought split decision victory.
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