Sherdog’s Top 10: Fighters of the 2000s

6. Matt Hughes

A two-time Ultimate Fighting Championship titleholder at 170 pounds, Hughes was the most dominant welterweight in the sport for the better part of five years. Hughes was a two-time NCAA All-American wrestler at Eastern Illinois University before shifting gears to mixed martial arts. The Hillsboro, Illinois, native made his MMA debut on Jan. 1, 1998 and went on to enjoy unprecedented success at 170 pounds. Hughes anchored the star-studded Miletich Fighting Systems camp that included Tim Sylvia, Jens Pulver, Spencer Fisher and Robbie Lawler. He closed out his career with a 45-9 record, having delivered 35 of his wins by knockout, technical knockout or submission. Victories over B.J. Penn, Georges St. Pierre, Matt Serra, Royce Gracie, Ricardo Almeida, Sean Sherk, Hayato Sakurai and Carlos Newton (twice) highlight his resume. Hughes was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame on May 29, 2010. He still ranks fourth on the promotion’s all-time list in career wins (18) and sixth in appearances (25).

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