UFC 112: Matt Hughes vs. Renzo Gracie
Saturday’s welterweight bout between Matt Hughes and Renzo Gracie at UFC 112 pits two of the world’s most experienced MMA fighters against each other. Gracie, 43, comes from one of the most prominent families in MMA history. Hughes, 36, is a former two-time UFC Welterweight champion.
The last time we saw Gracie, he was on the winning end of a controversial match which resulted in the disqualification of opponent Ken Shamrock. This will be his first fight since he signed a six-fight contract with UFC in December of 2009.
Renzo Gracie isn’t the first from his family to face Hughes. In May of 2006, Hughes soundly defeated Renzo’s cousin Royce in a round 1 TKO. Renzo has stated that the loss hurt the Gracie family and that Royce should have taken the fight more seriously.
Hughes has enjoyed a decorated career in MMA. In addition to twice winning the UFC Welterweight Championship, he has put together two separate six-fight win streaks in UFC and is tied with Chuck Liddell for most UFC wins with 16. In May 2009, Hughes won a unanimous decision over his rival Matt Serra, bringing his professional record to an impressive 43-7. However, he has only won two of his last five fights.
Gracie is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu specialist and Hughes is a wrestling specialist. Both styles focus on ground fighting, so don’t expect the fighters to stay on their feet for too long. The general consensus is that Hughes’s superior wrestling will win out, with odds makers listing him as a 4.5-to-1 favorite.
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