BJ Penn vs Matt Hughes confirmed as UFC 123 Co-Headline; UFC 123 Poster revealed
Posted on September 14, 2010, 07:35 AM by Daniel CassidyJust a few days ago, fans were curious who BJ Penn would face next, as he promised a November return in his video blog. Shortly afterwards, Matt Hughes revealed Dana White has spoke to him about a possible November match up, and immediately tongue's started wagging about a potential rubber match between the two former Welterweight Champions. It seems this is what Joe Silva had in mind all along, as today it was confirmed by Ariel Helwani of MMAFighting.com that a highly anticipated rematch between the two will take place at UFC 123 on on November 20, 2010 at The Palace of Auburn Hills in Michigan.
The match will serve as Co-Headline, the card headlined by the Light Heavyweight clash between Lyoto Machida and Rampage Jackson.
Penn's future was uncertain, following his 50-45 loss to current Champ Frankie Edgar, the man who took the belt from Penn's waist in their previous outing at UFC 112. While many expected him to dominate Edgar in Abu Dhabi, then make another run for the Welterweight gold, but this was not to be. While some expected Penn to start from scratch and make another run at Lightweight, "The Prodigy" has elected to move up in weight.
Hughes fortunes have been on the up of late. Since being badly outdone by Thiago Alves, Hughes returned to the drawing board. The Hall of Famer is now riding a 3 fight win streak, taking a close decision over Matt Serra, a TKO win due to leg kicks over Renzo Gracie, and choking out Ricardo Almedia most recently at UFC 117. Surely a fourth consecutive win against the always dangerous Penn would put Hughes within touching distance of another title shot?
While Penn vs Hughes III is set for November, both fighters already hold a win over each other. Penn was the first to take a win, and the Welterweight title, from Hughes, way back at UFC 46, in January 2004, when he caught Hughes in a perfectly executed Rear Naked Choke. The two would rematch at UFC 63 in September of 2006, where Hughes would eventually TKO a tired Penn in the third round, to keep his Middleweight belt.
Source: MMAFighting
Comments
wewt i hope hughes wins.
I want to see that moved he used against Ricardo on BJ. That was a power tapout... hahaha
i love the weaks ! keep em comin hughes haters ! :)
bj will not win this...his first victory over hughes came more from hughes being surprised and underprepared for bj than anything else, and add to that the fact that bj has just had 2 crushing losses (3 in his last 5 fights) and that hughes is on a tear....the only question i feel is whether hughes can finish bj....its tough but not impossible
There mad cause Hughes actually finishes fights and BJ doesn't know how to fight anymore.
That one of the only times BJ has stepped in with an opponent who had all the tools to nullify his style. 1st it happened with GSP now Frankie, BJ will have to dig deep and show hes the champ everyone says he is, and evolve again.
It it usually has to do with conformity and politeness. I speak my mind most of the time and gets weals a lot, sometimes they go sharps (if its something they all agree on"conformity as mentioned"). Generally if you see weaks, just know your being honest to yourself and not simply typing what others want to hear.
BJ just lost twice + his last 3 welterweight fights while Hughes has 3 wins in a row.
Man he hasn't fallen off like that!
bj a ww,not sure about that,but we will see.
True BG, if he has trouble with his cardio now and doesnt like to train regular, hes going to have a hard time at WW, staying in shape.
Of xourse almost everyone gets more punching power.
I don't like this fight at all. From simply a "fight" standpoint, it's great - 2 highly skilled, and profilic fighters going head-to-head. However, the fact that I like both of these fighters so much makes me cringe at the thought of either one losing. I want to see BJ Penn rebound and make a dent in any division he fights in. I want to see Hughes make that title run at welterweight and square off against Georges St. Pierre. One of the main attractions to this sport is the personal factor, knowing the fighters, their histories, and their skill-sets. I personally don't like watching fighter I don't know go at it, because it becomes cold and cruel in nature and less of a familiar sport where the boundaries are known.
What's so funny?
@ TorontoUFC
I understand your sentiments, in regard to two fighters that you support fighting, but it happens. You should simply sit back and enjoy it, as opposed to cringing.
As to a title shot against Rush - he could earn it, but earning it and being successful are two different things. In a million years I couldn't see Hughes beating GSP, again. A title run, a title shot and retire - is probably the predictable future for Matt.
He's a great fighter, was a great champ, but I don't ever see him being champ @ 170 again; it's too big, too strong and too talented for an aging veteran, such as Hughes; but he's putting on some incredible fights, right now; that is for sure. I hope he earns the shot. I hope he beats BJ.
Plus, Hughes is a much more exciting story.
too many tards on lowkick...
yep hinrik your post is proof of that.
ur gay
Limpwrist1 said what?
Shogun/Liddell was like that for me "The rise of One champion and The Fall of Another"
if bj loses 3 in a row does dana white kick him out of the ufc? loljk
Man he hasn't fallen off like that!
this could be the worst matchup for Penn to rebound off of, hes always had a problem with wrestlers and weight. He should of stayed at lightweight a couple more fights imo
hmm i see your point but this ain't the same Hughes that beat Penn, plus BJ will look totally different against a slower Hughes
wow judging by the weaks i got Matt Huges must be in his prime but for some reason i can't see it, maybe i need new glasses
Not so much wrestlers, but weight is the whole reason he cant deal with wrestlers... if he's already fat and leightweight and he looses twice in a row to a less talented speedy wrestler, whats him gaining even more fat going to do... ^_^ bad fight setup
@ MMAfan
...my sentiments exactly. This is just an opportunity for Penn to be fat, through his camp. I hope he doesn't have it in his head the Hughes is an easy fight for him; that he's going to go out there and blow MH away with his BJJ...'cuz, I just don't see that happening.
...pickin' Hughes.
@WingChun
We might have to bet a beer on that one...
BJ Penn beat Matt Hughes before and I think he can do it again.
lmao, Hughs beat BJ once and I think he can do it again
@ Osnizzle
We were told it was going to be either George or Kenny that he fought and then, out of the blue, we find it's Hughes & @ 170 - I agree with you, this is a bad match-up for Penn and in the wrong division.
and i heard BJ is training in Hilo which means Heinikens all night. until he goes to the mainland and train with fighters better then him and legit coaches and cornermen he's gonna have some serious problems with the new breed of UFC fighters
This is a bad move for Penn. Penn needed to have his next fight against someone relevant in the division.
Matt Hughes is like other aged UFC fighters ( ...Tito, Chuck). They are still fighting and earning top dollar because DW takes care of his loyal buds to the ends. You know, loyalty is ok to a point but these fuking cliques White is involved in are too much.
Hughes skill set has diminished a lot. He is no where near the fighter he was while champion. By taking this fight, Penn just but himself on the a downward track.
B J Penn, aged, irrelevant fighter in the making.
uh hughes is still winning, tito and chuck were not.
You very clearly haven't seen his last couple fights. Two of the best performances of his career, the fastest hands he's ever had, and a submission set up with a knockdown over a very promising young fighter. This is the best Hughes we've seen since he last fought BJ. I think he's going to take this. BJ seems to have lost that legendary takedown defense because there's no way in hell Frankie Edgar could have taken BJ down two years ago.
Matt coming off 3 wins, Penn coming off 2 loses, this don't look good for Penn. But i do admire him stepping it up & putting himself to the test.
Can see it now.....2 separate groups on this one group one..... 1 Loyal BJ fans, and might always be, rooting for BJ........2 people who dont like BJ, seeing this as BJ's fall from grace and fighting Hall of Famer ex-champs.
Whlie thinking simultaneously if BJ loses to Hughs, this will be very bad.
BJ will win this one.
I don't get it - why is Penn taking a fight @ 170?
He's just lost two fights @ 155 (including his title) and he's (now) taking fights @ 170? This makes no sense to me; not as a career move, at any rate.
I see this as a bad fight for Penn. 170 is a weight that allows BJ, heck encourages BJ, to show up soft and not in peak condition.
Also - I don't what has gotten into Hughes in his last two fights, but I've never seen him look better. I've certainly never seen his stand-up, particularly his hands, look so good. For a guy at the tail end of his career, Hughes is looking more like a guy on the "make", rather then a guy on the way "out". Also, Hughes has improved over the years, particularly in his BJJ, I'm not sure where Penn has improved; relative to their previous fights. I give this advantage (clearly) to Hughes.
And if he's coming up to 170, the fight I'd rather see would be Penn v. Serra; not Penn v. Hughes.
I thought his re-match with Edgar was a bad career move, I see this as no different. If he beats Hughes - so what. If he loses to Hughes and it's not an easy fight - then what?
I'm picking Hughes (in this one) - handily.
@wingchun
i agree, hughes is in the form of his life and its brilliant to see...the sad thing is thought that despite being on a 4 fight win strek (if he beats bj) he probably wont get a title shot, on account of fitch and shields (if he beats kampmann) being higher in the pecking order atm
I don't know why Penn is going back to W.W., and I don't know if Penn exactly knows why either. I was hoping he would re-establish himself at LW and then make another title run, because I believe he truly belongs at LW. It's his career though, and hopefully he will enlighten us soon. I don't see him getting a title shot at W.W. anytime soon.
Maybe BJ shouldnt have been talking to Diego Sanchez
@ CR
Cage...Penn is suffering from a dual psychosis...
"Post Traumatic Title Loss Syndrome"
&
"Post Traumatic Double Loss To The Same Opponent After an Immediate Re-match, Syndrome."
@ P-boy
Yes - I've never seen him look better. His win over Almeida was a phenomenal demonstration of a veteran, schooling a young rising star; one with an axe to grind, on behalf of his camp and coach.
Hughes spanked Almeida in that fight. It was the first time in a long while where I really stood up and took notice of Hughes, in a fight. I knew he'd beat Renzo, the fight with Serra was essentially a lack luster affair, but the Almeida fight gave him a decent scalp to hang in his corner; good for him; excellent job.
BJ loses to Hughes, then give him Nate Diaz .. He'll lose to Nate Diaz at 170 and retire.
great match up but bad timing for penn. Bj is already on a 2 fight lossing streak and now hes going up to 170 to face a bigger man. Penns a warrior and could pull it off again but if he losses then wat?
Penn should really stick around for a top 5 / 6 LW. Win in style and make himself in contention for another title shot. Losing to Hughes puts him down the LW ladder purely cos its 3 o's in a row.
Now that`s s great match up. At least BJ Penn does not have to fight a random small fighter now that he lost 2 championship matches in a row. Allthough I'm not a Fan of him, he still belongs in the top 5 of every lightweight list. Now its interesting to see him at welterweight again. I hope Hughes wins though. Would be Killer to see him Fight GSP again.
WOW!!.. what an amazing time for this rematch!. Both fighters are highly recognized as legends in the sport. Hughes the more motivated fighter coming from a three win streak is creeping his way back into title contention. a fourth win over Penn will be a definite mark as one of the current top welterweights in the UFC... I love BJ Penn but I'm routing for Hughes on this one!..
The cards just keep getting better and better. We got to give credit to the UFC, they may be screwing the other organizations by getting all theire fighters but they are putting up great cards! if only Fedor would join the UFC and cause some havoc in the HW and LHW division...