UFC Hall of Famer Matt Hughes awake and responsive day after truck-train accident

Former UFC welterweight champion Matt Hughes is doing better one day after his truck collided with a train.

Hughes’ longtime manager, Monte Cox, today told MMAjunkie the 43-year-old former champ is awake and responsive less than 24 hours after he was reportedly in a coma.

“His eyes are closed, but he is awake today and squeezing hands,” reported Cox, who is receiving text message updates from Hughes’ twin brother Mark Hughes.

The UFC Hall of Famer was airlifted Friday morning to HSHS St. John’s Hospital in Springfield, Ill., after Hughes’ truck reportedly crossed a track and was struck on the passenger side by an oncoming train. UFC President Dana White said Hughes had suffered head trauma.

The hospital released a statement saying Hughes had been stabilized and asked for privacy during his recovery.

Cox on Friday said he’d been informed that Hughes had suffered a collapsed lung and was in a medically induced coma because of a brain bleed. But Hughes apparently made a quick turnaround this morning and is now responsive.

Hughes (45-9 MMA, 18-7 UFC), who held the UFC welterweight title from 2001-2004 and 2004-2006, was contemplating a comeback earlier this year after being cut from a behind-the-scenes job with the promotion as its VP of athlete development and government relations.

Hughes last fought in 2011, suffering a knockout loss to Josh Koscheck after a previous knockout loss to now-Hall of Famer B.J. Penn. During his reign as champion, he beat some of the sport’s greatest at 170 pounds, including Georges St-Pierre, Sean Sherk, Penn and Royce Gracie, among others.

MMAjunkie will continue to provide updates on Hughes’ condition.

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