UFC 123 Recap: Matt Hughes Goes Out with a Wimper Against BJ Penn
In what was billed as the “co-main event” but essentially turned into an afterthought coming into UFC 123, B.J. Penn demolished Matt Hughes in a brutal 21-second victory.
The fight marked the third and final chapter in their three-part rivalry.
Penn came out of the gate on a mission to prove himself as he took Hughes down with a powerful right hand early on, and then proceeded to jump on his opponent in a position to do some serious damage. After a series of powerful shots, referee Dan Miragliotta had no choice but to stop the fight and award Penn the victory.
Clearly excited and amped about the victory, Penn ran out of the Octagon and began to race towards the locker room for some strange reason. Eventually, his corner and arena security chased him down and returned him to the ring.
The crowd met him with a standing ovation.
Asked about his reaction after the fight, Penn kept it short and sweet:
“I’m pumped up,” he said.
Prior to losing his lightweight title to Frankie Edgar, Penn was considered one of the most dominant champions in the UFC. The impressive victory over Hughes will likely re-kick start his career and give him some additional prominence as he tries to climb the UFC ladder yet again.
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