With Pressure Off, Hughes Having Fun in Cage

Following a dominant victory over Ricardo Almeida at UFC 117 in August, former two-time UFC welterweight champion Matt Hughes planned to separate himself from the cage to spend time with his family and to film a hunting show for the Outdoor Channel.

Then he got a call from UFC president Dana White.

White knew that Hughes' obligation to his new show ran through the fall and into the spring, and that the 37-year-old had already fought twice in 2010. It was no surprise that Hughes was initially hesitant to fight again on short notice.

“Matt Hughes doesn't turn down fights,” said White. “So when I called him and he said he had a full schedule, I told him [his opponent] was B.J. Penn. He said, 'I'll call you back. Let me clear my schedule.'”

Hughes will face Penn in the co-main event of UFC 123 on Nov. 20 from the Palace of Auburn Hills in Auburn Hills, Mich. The UFC hall of famer is riding a three-fight win streak heading into the rubber match with Penn.

The pair met twice previously, with Penn dominating the first matchup as a heavy underdog at UFC 46. The rematch at UFC 63 was owned by Hughes, who weathered early offense by “The Prodigy” to finish the fight in round three. Hughes believes this third fight holds a special significance for both men.

“When B.J. was brought up, I felt that I needed to take the fight. We're 1-1 and we need to see who takes this last match.,” said Hughes. “There's added motivation here. If I lose this fight with B.J., it's like losing three fights. If I win, it's like winning three, so there is a lot on the line for this 15 minutes. “

Nonetheless, Hughes claims that on the whole, pressure has decreased for him as a fighter at this stage in his career.

“Cutting the pressure out has made it a lot more fun. All in all I’m just having a great experience when it comes to fighting. I’m going out there to win and to have fun as opposed to fighting not to lose,” he said.

The H.I.T. Squad founder asserts that with the welterweight title that he defended so many times no longer at the forefront of his mind, much of the stress associated with fighting has evaporated. After suffering back-to-back losses for only the second time in his 52-fight career, the two-time NCAA All American decided to make some adjustments.

“I changed my training camp up and got around more positive people. I also got a lot of support from my wife. Put it all together and it really cut the pressure,” said Hughes. “I’ve been doing a lot of my training in Salt Lake City. Jeremy Horn has really good grapplers out there. I like to mix it up -- because of the elevation and also [my boxing coach] Matt Pena is out there. I can get away from the family and focus on the fight.”

After grinding out a unanimous decision over former “Ultimate Fighter” nemesis Matt Serra at UFC 98 in May 2009, the former champion took nearly a year off before returning against Renzo Gracie at UFC 112, out-striking the Brazilian en route to a third-round TKO. Just four months later, Hughes choked Gracie's protégé Ricardo Almeida unconscious with a front headlock choke at UFC 117. The back-to-back victories mark the shortest span between fights for Hughes since 2006.

“I’m liking the activity. In the past, I’ve taken a long time off between fights. This year has been good for me because I’ve stayed in shape,” said Hughes. “I don't spar every week if I don't have a fight coming up. At 37, I have to slow down and train a little smarter as opposed to training harder.”

Though the title is no longer Hughes' primary concern, that's not to say that a run at the strap is completely out of the question. Nevertheless, the two-time champion says he is comfortable with his place in history.

“If Dana comes to me and says they want me to make a run at the title, then that's fine. When presented with a title shot, I think anyone would jump at it,” said Hughes. “But the way I see it, I’m set. I’ve never been a guy to chase the record books. I’m just looking to have a good time and compete. When [my career is over], I’m sure I'll miss it. But when I retire, I don't think it'll be because I don't like competing. It will be because my heart and mind aren't in it.”