UFC 85: Thiago Alves KOs Matt Hughes

Former UFC welterweight champion Matt Hughes lost a fight that may have signaled the beginning of the end of a great career today, as Thiago Alves dominated and won with a brutal second-round technical knockout at UFC 85 in London.

The 24-year-old Alves showed up overweight, weighing in at 174 pounds for the 170-pound fight, and he apologized for that in the Octagon afterward. The 34-year-old Hughes, a workout freak, showed up appearing in good shape as usual. Whether the weight advantage helped Alves or not we don't know, but Alves dominated the fight.

Georges St.-Pierre is the undisputed best welterweight in the world, and when he's at his best he looks unbeatable. But if Alves can prove he can make 170, he may get a crack at GSP -- Alves looked great tonight, with the biggest win of his career.

In the event's other fights, Fabricio Werdum defeated Brandon Vera by first-round TKO, Mike Swick defeated Marcus Davis by unanimous decision, Thales Leites defeated Nate Marquardt by split decision and Michael Bisping defeated Jason Day by first-round TKO.

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

6-07-2008 @ 7:32PM

redballintermed said...

It all comes down to who wants it more.

6-07-2008 @ 11:51PM

evan said...

GSP dominating Hughes at UFC 79 was the beginning of the end...this is showing that he's just not in top form anymore.

I wish that we could see a tournament of champions in UFC ala Pride. Penn/GSP/Silva/Jackson all in a night!

6-08-2008 @ 12:01AM

JoeT said...

Too bad. I hope Matt Hughes keeps with it. I would like to know each fighters weight at fight time. Was Alves cutting weight and couldn't get it all off, then after weighing in he put on 15 lbs?

http://www.fromthecage.com

6-08-2008 @ 2:46AM

punkinjr said...

The extra weight makes a difference: He has more energy because he wasn't having to shed that weight. Even 4 pounds can make a difference and like the comment said if he added 15 more pounds after weighing in that is maybe 2 weight classes.. I am not making an excuse for Matt Hughes but in High School I always had a hard time making weight and it wears you down and zaps a lot of strenght and energy. 19 pounds is a lot of weight to overcome, especially if it is muscle. Sounds like Hughes got screwed to me.

6-08-2008 @ 11:38AM

Jokatech said...

I just want to say that I agree totally with punkinjr. He knows, as I know, how much weight counts. It seems only athletes understand athletes. I wrestled like Hughes in highschool and it is murder cutting weight. It took me almost a whole season to get to 160. It's hard cutting and gaining weight. And when you pass the lighter weight classes in to the welterweight division, every pound means the world. You would never believe the strength advantage a fit 174 pounder has over a fit 170 pounder. It's bull****! And then he apologizes like a little prick bastard knowing damn well that he intentionally entered heavy to gain what he knew to be his only opportunity at victory against a superior fighter - washed up as Matt may be. Unless you actually compete athletically it is very hard for you to understand the seriousness of the 4 pounds. Especially in the 170 range, it is catastrophic how much the power balance between the two fighters swings without the heavier fighter sacrificing much or any speed! Alves should not have been allowed to fight. I'd love to smash his face in!

6-10-2008 @ 1:52PM

nedyounger said...

In my opinion Alves' victory means nothing. "My ankle is injured so I couldn't lose the weight, but it's not so injured that I can still fight?" I'm guessing he outweighed Hughes by 15-20 pounds at the time of the fight. Also, with all due respect to Hughes, he simply cannot take fights anymore where he has nothing to gain and everything to lose. If he had beaten Alves, it would have meant nothing; but with Alves beating him, now he gets a possible crack at the winner of GSP/Fitch? If you don't make weight, the win shouldn't be official regardless of whether Hughes agreed to fight anyway.

6-20-2008 @ 4:06PM

SHAWN said...

MATT HUGHES MAY BE WASHED UP BUT HE STILL ONE OF THE BEST FIGHTERS I KNOW OF MAYBE HES JUST LOST THAT EDGE THAT MANY FIGHTERS HAVE SEEM TO LOSE SUCH AS CHUCH LIDDELL AND RICH FRANKLIN

6-29-2008 @ 12:34PM

cdalealden said...

Matt, you have been a glorious worrier for quite awhile now. I know how young you are because I'm an old man and I can tell you that there are many great avenues ahead in life for you to travel. I was hooked on mixed martial art fighting the first time I attended a match at the Paladium in Los Angeles and the blood from one fighter's forehead sprayed on me with the very first punch at my very first bout. It takes a lot of courage stand in there when minutes feel like hours when your body is pushed to the limits. I wouldn't ask anyone to stay and face that kind of punishment, but I have been entertained and encouraged by your tenacity over the last six years and I wish you the very best in whatever you decide to do, including fighting on!