Yes, UFC Hall of Fame fighter Matt Hughes really does want to return to the Octagon.
It’s been nearly two months since Hughes appeared on “Undeniable with Joe Buck,” teasing a possible comeback. Although he hasn’t traveled much further down the road to a return than that, it’s not for a lack of desire.
Despite being one the casualties in the UFC staff reduction once WME-IMG took over with full force, Hughes doesn’t need the money, he just has the itch to get back to doing what he never wanted to stop doing in the first place.
“I would love to come back. I didn’t want to retire in the first place. Dana thought it was the best thing for me and so did my stinking wife,” Hughes said on Monday’s edition of The MMA Hour. “I would love to go out and fight again.”
Don’t get too excited though, Hughes said that he has nothing lined up and doesn’t really have a bunch of offers flying his way. Although, now that he’s talked about it publicly, that’s sure to change.
Hughes is not under any sort of obligation to fight for the UFC, but that is where he would prefer to fight if he gets another opportunity to rectify his record, which currently stands with him having lost back-to-back bouts to BJ Penn and Josh Koscheck is his final two fights.
“You know what my problem is? I lost my last two fights and that’s the only thing I think about is those stinking losses,” he admitted.
Hughes would fight elsewhere if the right offer came along, but given his druthers, the UFC is at the top of the list.
“What would be fun is fighting with one of my old buddies, like Chuck Liddell. I think it would be a blast if he and I were on the same card,” said Hughes.
There has also been some chatter about a Liddell return, but that doesn’t sound to be even as far along as Hughes’ thoughts on the situation. After all, Hughes spoken to UFC president Dana White, letting him know where he stands about a desire to return. He wouldn’t, however, reveal White’s response.
“Dana White knows about this, yes, we have talked about it,” said Hughes. “You better ask Dana (about his response), I don’t want to speak for somebody else.”
Hughes has no illusions about making another title run or anything along those lines, he would simply like to replace the two losses at the end of his resume with a victory.
“Koscheck was my last loss and BJ was my loss before that. I fully believe that if those fights had went all 15 minutes, I would have got my hand raised,” Hughes said, noting that he believes he could still be competitive in the Octagon, but not targeting a championship.
Although he’s not looking to spearhead the start of Vitor Belfort’s proposed UFC Legend’s League, Hughes’ idea of a return would be more in line with what Belfort was saying, matching up against someone of an age similar to his 43 years and with diminishing athletic attributes.
“I have no interest in fighting somebody like Tyron Woodley or (Jorge) Masvidal, some of these young kids, I just don’t,” said Hughes. “I would want to have somebody close to my age that would have the same speed, quickness.
“It’s really just one win. It really doesn’t have anything to do with money. It’s just getting in there competing again and seeing what I can do.”
