BJ Penn v. Matt Hughes

The main event of the 63rd installment of The Ultimate Fighting Championship was BJ Penn v. Matt Hughes and was officially billed as a bout for the welterweight crown, but for the two contestants involved, there was far more on the line than a fancy belt.

Win or lose, champion Matt Hughes would be remembered as one of the best fighters in UFC history, but his reign atop the welterweight division has always suffered from one serious blight. Hughes lost the 170 lbs belt when he was choked out in 2004, only to see the man who beat him vacate the title and walk away from the UFC. It wasn’t long before Hughes brought the belt back to the Miletich camp, but he never defeated the man who submitted. Notwithstanding his thorough dominance of the weight class since suffering that loss, many critics have labeled Hughes a paper champion. To these members of the MMA community, Hughes’ claim to the title would never be fully validated until he took out the man who bested him two years ago, and that man is B. J. Penn.

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Since Penn shocked the world by tapping Hughes at UFC 46, he has been widely regarded as one of the most talented fighters in the world. Rarely has his name been missing from a pound-for-pound best list. Many would go so far as to consider him a legitimate contender in as many as three weight classes, which is nothing short of incredible in mixed martial arts. Deserved as these accolades are and despite his widespread success, Penn’s career has nonetheless failed to produce the type of results most feel it is capable of producing. The last few years have seen Penn aimlessly bouncing between countries, organizations and weight limits, often with lackluster results attributed to a lack of a serious training regiment.

Penn finally returned to the UFC in March of this year, losing a hard fought contest to Georges St. Pierre. Penn controlled the first round of that fight, then he appeared to whither under the constant pressure applied by “Rush,” eventually dropping a split decision. Penn had little left in the tank after the first minutes of that fight, rendering him unable to effectively apply a skill set that probably exceeded St. Pierre’s in many respects. Not surprisingly, Penn’s conditioning once again came under fire, and even his most hardcore fans have begun to question whether his natural ability can overcome his apparent lack of dedication. This sentiment was recently exacerbated by comments made by Penn in the weeks leading up to the fight with Hughes wherein he intimated that he has completely dispensed with a professional training program. That doesn’t bode well for someone preparing to enter the octagon against perhaps the most powerful, well-conditioned athlete in the division.

So there you have it. For the champion Matt Hughes, last night represented a chance to avenge a shocking 2004 loss and to quiet all the critics who have since questioned the legitimacy of his title. For the challenger B. J. Penn, it was an opportunity to prove that “The Prodigy” is still one of the best in the world, not a flash in the pan who lacked the heart to take full advantage of his phenomenal ability.

A pre-fight analysis of this match-up was pretty straightforward. Hughes would enter the fight the stronger, more conditioned of the two competitors. He would look to get the takedown, wear Penn down, and pound him out. Penn has quicker hands and some of the best ground skills out there. He would try to avoid the takedown and work his stand-up as long as possible. Once the fight was on the ground, Penn could comfortably work from his back and maybe pull off a submission. Everyone knew the key to this fight was timing. Penn is lethal early in the fight, and Hughes one weakness throughout his career has been his propensity to get caught in the quick sub. If the fight lasted into the later rounds, Penn would likely tire and get worked over by the relentless champion. Both fighters recognized the scenario, and the fight played out largely as (one of them) planned.

The opening round saw Penn firing off lightning quick, accurate jabs, consistently beating Hughes to the punch. Hughes shot in for multiple single leg takedown attempts, but Penn’s amazing flexibility allowed him to fend Hughes off and maintain a standing position. At the close of the round, a Penn jab grazed Hughes’ right eye, temporarily halting the fight and leaving Hughes with a nice welt to take back to his corner before the start of round two, which featured more of the same. Penn continued to control the stand-up for the first two minutes of the round before Hughes was finally able to get the takedown. Working against the cage, Penn was able to maneuver away from Hughes’ devastating ground and pound, eventually reversing the champ and taking his back with a full two minutes remaining. Visions of 2004 when Penn finished Hughes with a rear naked choke and a kiss on the lips began flashing, and it appeared to be only a matter of time before history repeated itself. However, Hughes defended the choke well and almost switched position back into Penn’s guard, only to be caught in a triangle choke with around 30 seconds remaining. Penn tightened the choke and worked for the armbar, but Hughes was able to relieve the pressure just enough to survive the round. The battle for that submission would prove to be the turning point in this championship bout, and it was a battle Hughes won.

Two fighters stepped back into the center of the cage for the third round, but only one of them had any gas left in his tank. Penn had spent everything he had working to finish the triangle, and Hughes immediately began imposing his will on the feet. Finding the winded Penn an easy target, the champion repeatedly connected with combinations before dumping his opponent on the mat. Hughes was able to get side control, eventually tying Penn up into a defenseless position reminiscent of Hughes-Newton circa 2002. Hughes began raining short punches and elbows into Penn’s exposed and unguarded face until referee John McCarthy was forced to put a stop to the fight with just over a minute remaining in the round.

Hughes’ victory further solidifies his status as one of the most dominant and successful fighters in mixed martial arts history, but another huge test is on the horizon. Slated for a rematch with Georges St. Pierre in November, the speculation and comparisons regarding each fighter’s victory over Penn have already begun. A shoe-in for the UFC Hall of Fame, Hughes has nothing left to prove at this point in his illustrious career except that with each ensuing fight, that he is still the pre-eminent welterweight in the world. The future is far less clear for B. J. Penn. With his stamina once against exposed as a fatal weakness, he needs to re-evaluate whether he has the commitment to fully fulfill his potential. Still only 27 years old and possessing unlimited potential, the only thing stopping “The Prodigy” from coming back to become one of the best ever is himself.