Matt Hughes on Training, Fighting, and Winning
by on January 23, 2008
What do you get when you step inside the octagon with a 170 pound, nine-time Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight titleholder? A whole lot of pain. Just ask any of Matt Hughes’ opponents. With victories over B.J. Penn and others, Hughes, who was Black Belt’s 2006 NHB Fighter of the Year, has achieved an astounding 43-5 record. In this exclusive interview, the champ talks about the roles that fighting, faith and family have played in his rise to the top.
Black Belt: Did you ever see yourself rising to such influence?
Hughes: Back when I first started this sport, I was just doing it as a hobby. I never thought I’d be on TV or make enough money to support a family. I just did what I wanted to do.
BB: Did you have a lot of support along the way?
Hughes: Yes. I’ve had a network of support that have helped me get here. There are two types of people out there—talkers and doers. Through my wrestling and school people came to know that I was a doer. I was one of those guys who just happened to get things done. I had a great amount of support.
BB: In mixed martial arts, what style is most important?
That’s a tough question to answer. You’ve got to be well rounded. Wrestling plays such a huge role because you can control where the fight is going to be at. Wrestling is definitely up there.
BB: How do you train for the two days leading up to a fight?
Hughes: I work out hard all the way up until weigh in. I just enjoy it. The day before weigh in, I only have two practices, about an hour and a half each. I’ve got my buddies there. So we have a good time just doing what we need to be doing.
BB: Do you follow a strict diet?
Hughes: I eat healthy. You don’t need a bunch of saturated fat or processed sugar. I like honey. It’s not as bad for you as processed sugar. I’ll have a sweet potato and put honey on it.
BB: What foods do you stay away from?
Hughes: I’m not a big fast food guy. You won’t see me going through McDonalds or Hardee’s. I don’t like it. Something like Subway—I do eat Subway. If you need something quick, go to Subway.
BB: What’s the first thing that goes through your mind when you step inside the Octagon?
Hughes: I try to focus on my opponent and try to figure out what I’m going to do. Is my opponent a stand up artist? Then I use my wrestling offensively, pick him up, put him on the ground, and beat him up. Or is he a good submission artist? Then I use my wrestling defensively and keep him on his feet and try to win the fight there.
BB: What’s the most important factor in executing an effective “ground-and-pound” game?
Hughes: Learning to strike on the ground is hard to do. You just have to work on it.
BB: What other strategies do you keep in mind when you’re fighting?
Hughes: Well, I don’t bob my head a lot. Like a boxer will do that. I don’t. I think that you move your feet and get out of the way. A boxer doesn’t have to worry about knees and kicks like we do.
BB: Does your family every get nervous watching your fights?
Hughes: I know my wife gets extremely nervous. Some of my family won’t even go and watch because there’s so much pressure. My grandmother just sits behind a TV and prays.
BB: What is the benefit of training spiritually as well as physically?
Hughes: The big benefit is that I take a lot of pressure off my shoulders because I always ask that’s God’s will be done. It’s up to him. If it’s God’s will that I lose, I’m fine with that. I don’t worry about that.
BB: How did you find God?
Hughes: I became a Christian three and a half years ago when I took a trip to Guadalupe, Mexico. I didn’t go there to find God, just to work. I love hard work. There’s an orphanage and a school down there and we were doing construction work and building. Every night we had Bible studies and I had a lot of my questions answered. I was doing a devotional, bowed my head right then and there and found the Lord. It’s one of those things where people ask me, “How do you know if you are a Christian and how can I tell people about God.” And I say, “That’s very easy. The day, the moment, I became a Christian I felt it throughout my entire body. I know there’s a God out there because as soon as I became a Christian it was one of the greatest sensations and also a relief.
BB: How would you describe your relationship with God?
Hughes: My relationship with God is like any relationship. It’s a roller coaster ride—there are ups and downs. It’s similar to having a relationship with your kids, wife, brothers and sisters. It’s great to feel the presence of Jesus.
BB: The story about David and Goliath shows that the big guy doesn’t always win the fight. Were there any fights when you felt like the underdog, but went on to defeat your opponent?
Hughes: I kind of felt like the underdog when I won my world title for the first time. I’ve been successful my whole life—wrestling team, football team. God’s really blessed me.
BB: Do you have other Christians who support you?
Hughes: I get a lot of support through my website and forum. It’s just great because I’m like everybody else. I get temptations just like everyone else. And those people help me out and we all pray for each other.
About the author: Christian George is a freelance writer and martial artist.
To read the rest of this article, pick up Black Belt Magazine, February 2008, pg. 122-127