Comments on: Matt Hughes: The Miletich Factor

By: curtis

curtis — Sat, 16 May 2009 21:38:43 +0000

Mike Greenberg of ESPN’s Mike and Mike “Don’t care much” for the Dolphins… People are allowed to show favoritism, look at Dickie V!

By: ironman

ironman — Sat, 16 May 2009 15:05:47 +0000

Bas (who’s clearly not Bas), it’s a full disclosure issue. Every writer has biases and are often accused of using their writing as a way of expressing them, so it’s only fair that I acknowledge the bias when it’s present.

Glad you commented on the content, though. Very grown up of you.

By: Bas

Bas — Sat, 16 May 2009 07:25:29 +0000

“I don’t like Matt Hughes much”?

Who cares what you think of the subject?

Are you a professional writer or are you thirteen years old?

By: ironman

ironman — Thu, 14 May 2009 20:44:01 +0000

I wonder if Hughes is prepared for Serra’s submission skills. I know Hughes is a solid grappler, but I’m not convinced he can handle Serra even on the mat. He’s definitely going to have issues standing up.

That said, I think either guy can take it, and that makes for exciting fights.

By: VEe

VEe — Thu, 14 May 2009 19:00:38 +0000

I hope to see a 3-round war. I’m rooting for Serra and hope his take down defense is can nullify Hughes main weapon.

By: garrett bailey

garrett bailey — Thu, 14 May 2009 17:39:56 +0000

good reasons why hughes sucks now josh.

By: ironman

ironman — Thu, 14 May 2009 17:03:12 +0000

Vee, the ankle injury that Alves sustained before the fight should not have inhibited his ability to cut weight. It’s still possible for a fighter to do cardiovascular training and lose the weight. (elliptical machines take a great deal of pressure off of the ankle) If it were the only time Alves had had a weight problem, I’d care less, but it’s not (he was caught using an illegal supplement to cut weight earlier in his career).

Lytle is a good fighter, but Hughes should have been able to finish him. He’s technical, skilled and strong, but Hughes really should have been able not simple to control that fight, but to put Lytle in a bad position and finish him. A younger Matt Hughes, in my opinion, would have.

I think that the lack of striking pretty much is a fact Vee. I also agree that MFS is much better than the H.I.T. Squad. Hughes was clearly thinking about the money he could make as a coach and not his career, and I think that’s a huge problem for him.

By: VEe

VEe — Thu, 14 May 2009 13:56:04 +0000

Whoa!! Despite Lytle’s intent to strike recklessly he has only been stopped by Joe Riggs!! Alves stopped him via the doctor’s decision. So he’s only been stopped once. Lytle is more than respectable, he’s really durable. — Yeah, I’m a Chris Lytle fan despite his crazy please the fans, make a great show, and get the Fight of the Night bonus.

Wow, I really think people should stop making a big deal out of Alves weight. The UFC brass was aware of an injury he sustained 2-3 weeks before the fight that prohibited him from cutting weight properly. Let’s not forget that Fitch and GSP are not huge welterweights. Fitch fought at 205 and GSP probably walks somewhere north of 190lbs. Alves just looks like a ripped 185 or 205 fighter.

With that said, despite his legendary status, I thought Hughes looked completely clueless against Penn in both fights but the overall decline some time in 2006. You really have to wonder, with over 50 fights, he really has not shown any significant improvement in striking (not a fact, just my opinion). He looks really clueless against strikers. I think that says a lot about his overall training. Not to mention I still find it odd that he thought or thinks, he can move up to 185lbs and beat Anderson Silva.

Militech Fighting System >>> H.I.T. Squad.

By: ironman

ironman — Thu, 14 May 2009 04:40:28 +0000

We’ll see, Ryan. I think that the matchup is a little more complicated than just who’s going to be in better shape (not saying that you don’t, but I see technique being decisive in this bout). I’m sure you’ll get to hear me and Curtis go toe-to-toe over Serra vs. Hughes (and maybe Rashad vs. Machida, though I’m not sure how he’s picking on that one).

Hughes’ losses are good. The win over Lytle was, in my opinion, kind of mediocre. I expected more from Matt. I expected him to at least put Thiago in some trouble, but he couldn’t do that.

That said, I think you’re right that Hughes is still a top welterweight. He’s losing to good guys, but I don’t think he will be a top guy for much longer. I think that his curtain call is approaching, unfortunately, as the guy is truly a legend.

By: Ryan

Ryan — Thu, 14 May 2009 02:56:32 +0000

I hate Matt Hughes,

however, dropping to fights to GSP and one to an overweight Thiago Alves (who is already HUGE for a welterweight) is not that big of a deal. Any up and coming future champ who has losses to the champ and the #1 contender would not and should not be written off.

It is his win, since he lost his belt that should be scrutinized. Chris Lytle is definitely not on anyone’s top 10 list. However, all of his losses since 2006 are to people currently have in my top 10. He has lost to Matt Serra (now I have him at #12, but when they fought he was) #5, Matt Hughes #8, Thiago Alves #2, Josh Koshcheck #4 and Marcus Davis #10.

Therefore I’d put Lytle in the top #15 with his great style and fights but inability to break into the top #10. Hughes won a decision of a top #15 fighter who has been tko’d twice, both to cuts. While a cut is a real stoppage, I wouldn’t necessarily call it a legitimate tko. So, Lytle has never been stopped (only cut badly). Hughes should have been the first to actually KO or TKO Lytle, but he shouldn’t be so poorly judged for not doing so.

Although I wish that Serra will go home with Hughes arm after their fight, I’m betting that Hughes comes to fight in top shape and proves to everyone that even though there is nobody on GSP or Thiago Alves’ level, he is still a top Welterweight fighter.