UFC 63: Hughes vs. Penn

All photos copyright 2004 Zuffa LLC
Photography by Joshua Hedges

With the main event being a rematch between Matt Hughes and BJ Penn, September 23, 2006, was going to be a HUGE night for the sold-out crowd at Arrowhead Pond in Anaheim, California.

There was more pressure on these guys entering this fight than on one of Pamela Anderson’s wet T-shirts. BJ was coming off a loss to Georges St. Pierre and was back for revenge after having his UFC Welterweight World Title stripped. And Matt was out to avenge his previous loss to BJ at UFC 46.

Another monster match on the card was the showdown between Mike Swick and David Loiseau.

However, the opening fight between Tyson Griffin and David Lee proved to be a great appetizer for all the MMA fans in attendance, and got the night off to an exciting start. But probably the biggest shot of the night was a TKO that pulled one of the matches up via a gut-wrenching punch to the abdomen.

The Battles

Tyson Griffin (5’6” 155 lb) vs. David Lee (5’10” 153.5 lb)
– Light Heavyweight

Referee: Steve Mazzagatti

Round One

Tyson moved straight to center ring and David danced around, then closed in with a looping right as Tyson fired off a jab that missed its mark but intercepted David’s left. Tyson followed with a big right that David ducked.

4.47: David jack-rabbited into the air with a flying knee that Tyson caught. He seized David’s back and pulled him to the floor.

4.36: Griffin had the hooks in. Lee attempted catching Griffin’s ankles with his own feet, but couldn’t latch on to them.

4.13: Griffin moved from having the hooks in to fitting Lee with a body triangle, and looking to add the rear naked choke – a la Ivan Salaverry vs. Tony Fryklund at UFC 50.

3.40: Tyson was catching David with left punches to the face while still clinging to his back.

3.35: David rolled onto his stomach to avoid Tyson’s punches, but Tyson stayed on his back like a turtle shell and maintained the body triangle.

3.31: Tyson slipped his right arm around David’s throat for the choke.

3.10: David rolled and tapped.

Result: Tyson Griffin by rear naked choke – 1.50, Round One.

Joe Lauzon (5’10” 155.5 lb) vs. Jens Pulver (5’7” 154 lb)
– Lightweight

Referee: Herb Dean

Round One

Southpaw Pulver gave up a three-and-a-half-inch reach advantage, but as the former UFC Lightweight Champion, he was a strong favorite to take the bout.

4.53: As soon as the fighters squared off Joe snapped up Jens’s leg and took him down. They scrambled for position on the floor.

4.35: Joe caught Jens with a left hook flush on the jaw as Jens worked his way back up. When Pulver stood briefly, Lauzon grabbed hold of his left leg and yanked Pulver back to the ground.

4.28: Pulver climbed to his feet and broke free.

4.23: They squared off and Lauzon missed with a jab. Pulver slipped and stood back up as Lauzon grabbed him in a Thai clinch and drove a right knee into Pulver’s body. He then followed up with a left hook that did the trick. Herb Dean called it a day for Jens.

Result: Joe Lauzon by KO – 0.48, Round One.

Rashad Evans (5’11” 204 lb) vs. Jason Lambert (5’10” 205.5 lb)
– Light Heavyweight

Referee: Big John McCarthy

Round One

Jason closed the gap and copped a knee to the body from Rashad before they clinched against the fence.

4.19: They broke free and Jason went for the takedown. Rashad stopped the attempt with a knee to Jason’s midsection. They clinched.

4.11: Rashad hip-threw Jason to the mat and seized Jason’s head in a six o’clock position as Jason crawled over to the cage. Rashad latched onto Jason’s back and dished out some g’n’p.

3.56: Lambert stood and the battle of wills followed: He wanted to bung on a kimura and Evans wanted the takedown. Evans won the contest and then took Lambert’s back.

3.31: They stood up.

3.23: Evans crashed Lambert to the floor and had side control, with Lambert up against the fence. Jason tried to stand and Rashad took his back and continued to pound away.

2.55: Jason managed to get to his feet, but Rashad was playing jockey.

2.53: Rashad took Jason down again. This was supposed to be a light-heavyweight match, however Rashad was fighting like a lightweight.

2.46: They were battling for position on the ground when Lambert went for a kimura. But Evans had his legs free and was able to resist the hold.

2.27: Evans retrieved his arm and took side control.

1.58: Lambert rolled over and fought to stand back up. He went after Evans with big fists, but Evans was too elusive and energized. The action continued with Jason putting up a tough fight, But Rashad seemed to be nuclear-powered and just kept going. When Jason tried to take him down, Rashad sprawled and let Jason use a lot of gas in the process, before reversing the situation and taking him down.

Round Two

4.51: Both men fired off right-hand bombs and each dodged the other’s like a choreographed maneuver. Evans grabbed Lambert’s right leg, and Lambert pulled Evans into his guard.

4.45: Evans then slipped into half guard.

4.32: Jason rolled and had Evans back in full guard with Evans g’n’p-ing him.

3.56: Jason scrambled against the fence and was on his hands and knees with Rashad delivering fists from Jason’s back.

3.50: Jason was standing.

3.45: Rashad had him back on his hands and knees and was clinging to Jason’s back and unloading more punishment.

3.33: They stood back up and exchanged knees from the clinch.

3.29: They broke free.

3.13: Rashad took Jason back down and got side control, then the mount. He started g’n’p-ing Jason with little resistance from Lambert. Big John broke it up.

Result: Rashad Evans by KO – 2.22, Round Two.

Melvin Guillard (5’9” 156 lb) vs. Gabe Ruediger (5’10” 155 lb)
– Lightweight

Referee: Herb Dean

Round One

Gabe went for a right cross, Melvin countered with a left kick that Gabe caught, and he tried to take Melvin down. Melvin sprawled, then took Gabe down and got side control. He delivered a right fist, stood up and ordered Gabe back up. It was only 10 seconds into the fight.

4.42: Guillard leg-kicked Ruediger who dived in to catch the kick, but missed. As he started climbing back to his feet, Guillard fed him more leather.

4.38: Guillard ordered Ruediger back up.

4.35: Ruediger charged in with blazing guns. Guillard countered and hip-threw Ruediger to the floor, moved into his guard, and dropped left elbows and right fists on Ruediger.

4.06: They were standing. Ruediger was desperate to take his opponent down, but as he shot for Guillard’s legs, Guillard sprawled, then stood and whacked Ruediger’s face with more leather.

3.49: They briefly stood in a clinch before Melvin threw Gabe down. Gabe was back against the fence with Melvin in his guard. Melvin unloaded some more before returning to his feet.

3.16: Melvin delivered a body kick and Gabe grabbed Melvin’s left leg, pulling him to the ground. But Melvin effortlessly climbed back up before Gabe could capitalize.

3.09: They clinched: Gabe had Melvin’s back to the cage. They did a waltz and swapped a few fists and knees before separating at 2.19. There was some toe-to-toe jousting until 1.54, when the pair succeeded in taking each other down.

1.47: They were clinched against the wire.

1.45: They parted.

0.51: Gabe took Melvin down.

0.45: He got the mount and began g’n’p-ing Melvin.

0.41: Guillard rolled and gave up his back as Ruediger pounded from there and looked for the rear naked choke. Ruediger had Guillard in a body triangle and Guillard was going nowhere. However, the hooter intervened. As Ruediger stood, he displayed a nice egg-sized lump beside his left eye.

Round Two

Gabe wanted to restart where he’d finished off the last round, but instead he walked into a solid jab from Melvin at 4.45.

4.39: They clinched and Melvin hurled Gabe to the canvas. Each time Gabe rushed in on Melvin, he paid for it with flying knuckles from Melvin.

4.14: Guillard shot a powerful right fist into Ruediger’s midsection that backed him up sharply.

4.02: Guillard cannonballed another fierce right fist into Ruediger’s stomach and Ruediger crashed to the floor. What a cracker!

Result: Melvin Guillard by TKO – 1.01, Round Two.

Mike Swick (6’1” 184 lb) vs. David Loiseau (6’0” 185.5 lb)
– Middleweight

Referee: Steve Mazzagatti

Round One

They touched gloves.

4.52: Mike shot out a left and David covered.

4.50: Mike landed a kick to the body.

4.37: Mike landed a leg kick.

4.28: He tried for a spinning back kick.

4.01: Mike delivered a front kick and David caught it, then let go. He rushed in on Mike with a right and they clinched, with Mike’s back against the cage.

3.52: Swick turned and had Loiseau against the cage.

3.41: Loiseau tried to bring up an elbow, but Swick covered by having his head behind Loiseau’s in the clinch. Swick wanted to take Loiseau down and Steve Mazzagatti warned David not to hold the fence. The fighters remained standing and traded knees.

3.11: Steve separated them.

2.00: Mike unleashed a barrage of fists and a high kick – some connected, some David managed to cover up for.

2.46: David answered with a left and right, giving Mike a Rudolph nose.

2.21: Mike slammed David with a spinning back kick to the body.

2.03: David came in with another left/right combo and capped it off with a right high kick. Mike jabbed away and David got in a leg kick.

1.08: Mike unloaded another fists-and-feet combo.

0.59: He ducked under a left hook from David and took him down.

0.55: Swick progressed from guard to half guard.

0.39: Swick was going for side control and Loiseau turned – giving up his back. Normally, this would be a worry, but Loiseau has proven in the past that he has outstanding defenses against the rear naked choke, and at 0.34, he was back in the toe-to-toe mode with Swick.

0.18: Loiseau missed with a spinning kick.

Round Two

Loiseau came out broadsiding but Swick backed him up.

4.33: Mike dispatched a high kick that David blocked.

4.07: Mike advanced with a leaping knee that David avoided. They both missed with spinning back kicks. Earlier, Randy Couture suggested that David might have been a little ‘gun-shy’ coming off a defeat against Rich Franklin.

3.25: David scored with a leg kick. His strikes appeared to be more powerful than Mike’s, however they were too infrequent thus far.

3.07: Swick continued with his light jabs and Loiseau smacked out with another leg kick.

2.55: Loiseau pounded Swick’s lead leg with another kick.

2.48: He followed with a kick to the same spot.

2.14: Swick returned a leg kick, but it was checked by Loiseau. Swick’s next kick was off target.

2.04: Loiseau lashed out another leg kick and Swick’s leg was turning an angry red color.

2.03: Mike missed with a spinning kick.

1.57: He scored with a knee to David’s body that was caught and the pair clinched.

1.32: Mike took David down and fell into his half guard. There was a cut near David’s left eye.

Round Three

Loiseau came straight out with front and high kicks that Swick avoided.

4.46: Loiseau missed with a leg kick.

4.32: Swick tried to unload a combo, but nothing appeared to land.

4.25: Mike shot under a big right from David and took him down. From David’s half guard, Mike tried a few right shoulder strikes.

3.25: David wore some blows and gave up his back, then got to his feet at 3.11. He threw a big telegraphic right and Mike clinched.

2.45: David unleashed three of his trademark elbows before Mike broke free.

2.42: Swick went for the takedown, but Loiseau resisted and slammed back with an elbow and another kick to Swick’s lead leg. He moved in on Mike with a left hook, elbows, and punches to the head and body.

2.29: They were clinched with Mike’s back to the cage.

2.10: David took Mike down and dished out more elbows and fists.

1.44: Loiseau was g’n’p-ing and brought down a series of vicious right elbows.

1.28: Swick climbed back to his feet as Loiseau kept coming with elbows and knees.

1.24: They clinched and exchanged knees.

1.18: Loiseau cracked out with another elbow and Swick appeared to be looking at the clock.

1.15: Loiseau delivered an uppercut from the clinch.

1.10: Mike wore another right elbow.

0.56: Mazzagatti separated them.

0.40: Mike was jabbing and David missed with a leg kick.

0.32: Mike missed with a spinning kick.

0.21: Mike landed a knee to the body. He tried for a takedown, but David resisted. He went for a knee strike and Mike took him down. The last five minutes were all Loiseau’s, but was it enough to tie the fight up with a 10-8 round? According to the judges’ scores, Swick had lived up to his reputation of being too quick, and The Crow had come out too slow.

Result: Mike Swick by unanimous decision.

Matt Hughes (5’9” 170 lb) vs. Sean Penn (5’9” 166.5 lb)
– Welterweight

Referee: Big John McCarthy

Round One

Matt comes out jabbing and straight away BJ catches him with a right to the body.

4.48: Matt lets fly with a high kick and BJ backs out of its path. BJ moves in with jabs and Matt backs away, drops his hands, and moves back into the field of play.

4.35: Matt tries for a body punch – they’ve been popular tonight – then he follows up with a big right. The punch misses but he latches onto BJ’s left leg for the takedown. BJ pogos all the way across the Octagon on his right leg and amazingly resists the takedown. Matt still has hold of the leg, but BJ is now standing on both feet.

3.25: Hughes lets go of the leg and clinches: He is still intent on taking the Hawaiian down.

3.16: Penn lands a solid right uppercut and a left knee to the body. Hughes answers with a left and right combo as they break free. Hughes is red around the nose and mouth.

3.09: Hughes dispatches jabs and a left hook.

2.59: Penn ducks under a left and right hook from Hughes. Matt then drops both hands to his sides and is standing flat-footed, which might not be such a good idea – especially with GSP watching from ringside. Perhaps this is a ploy by Matt to get BJ to come in swinging so Matt can move underneath for the takedown.

2.49: Either way, BJ accepts the offer and lands a solid right on Matt’s chin. Hughes dives at Penn’s left leg again and takes him down. BJ is lying over Hughes’s back, with Hughes pulling BJ’s left foot up to BJ’s navel, while BJ has his other leg stretched back straight, like a contortionist. He’s so incredibly flexible.

2.12: Penn twists his leg free and is crouched over Hughes’s shoulders in the six o’clock position.

2.05: They climb to their feet. Matt scores with a knee to the body, then checks the damage where BJ caught him around the nose and mouth.

1.52: BJ lands consecutive jabs to the same spot Matt was just checking – to the right side of Matt’s mouth and nose, which brings a tell-tale grin to Hughes’s face. But Matt has a point to prove after BJ caught him with that big right in their previous encounter at UFC 46, and he wants to show Penn that he can stand and exchange with him. So Matt keeps jabbing and strolling around, but his guard is down low.

1.15: Penn shoots out a right that catches Hughes, then Big John calls time out when it’s discovered BJ’s thumb caught Matt in the eye during that last strike. As Randy Couture says from the commentary desk, it’s an accepted risk everyone faces when fighting with fingerless mitts that allow for grappling.

1.05: Matt signals that he’s okay and they touch gloves.

1.04: Matt goes for a jab to the body.

0.59: They clinch and knees are exchanged. Matt latches onto BJ’s lead leg again.

0.43: Not wanting to look prejudiced, Matt switches to BJ’s right leg. He gives up on the takedown and they swap more knees from the clinch.

0.08: They break free. Hughes closes the round with more jabs.

Round Two

4.50: Matt delivers a kick to the body.

4.42: He shoots under BJ’s fists for the takedown. BJ sprawls; Matt snaps onto BJ’s right leg and manages to move into BJ’s guard, with Penn against the fence. Hughes is intent on passing the guard, then opts to soften Penn up with g’n’p.

2.53: BJ is the king of cool under pressure and looks to catch Matt’s right arm with an uma-plata, which Hughes avoids and he continues trying to rough Penn up.

1.45: Hughes is landing some quality elbows and fists until Penn turns Hughes onto his stomach and fits him with a body triangle. Matt rolls some more and BJ hangs onto Matt’s back – now with the hooks in.

0.40: BJ has Matt in the triangle with his right arm also secured. Hughes tries to stand and the hooter sounds. Those were forty scary seconds for Hughes. At first it looks like he is saved by the bell, but on the replay it appears that Matt could have had his head out as the hooter sounded. Thus far, Eddie Bravo has the fight 10-9 Hughes, 10-9 Penn.

Round Three

4.55: They swap jabs. Now BJ has his hands down and Matt looks fresh as a daisy cutter. He is jabbing away and BJ is puffing. With three rounds remaining in this title bout, it’s not a good sign for Penn – especially after he gassed in the second half of his meeting with GSP.

4.22: They’re exchanging leather and Hughes lands a leg kick.

3.52: Matt catches BJ with a jab and follows up with a right body kick. Hughes is picking Penn off with both hands and Penn is offering no guard: It’s open slather.

3.20: They’re clinched and go down. Hughes eventually works from Penn’s guard, and Rich Franklin is calling for Matt to stand it up and finish BJ off on his feet.

2.47: Hughes elects to keep the action on the ground and moves to half guard. He is fighting for position and BJ is fighting for breath. Matt’s punches to the ribs don’t help BJ’s quest for ventilation.

2.07: Hughes has side control and is pounding. He uses his legs to secure Penn’s left arm, and uses his left arm to pin Penn’s right arm, which leaves Matt’s right fist free to thump Penn in the head. BJ might be from Hawaii, but Hughes has him hung out in Easter Island position. With no escape, BJ takes a pounding. This fight probably should have been pulled up sooner.

Result: Matt Hughes by TKO – 3.53, Round Three.