UFC Royce Gracie vs Matt Hughes

**Gotch** · May 28th, 2006, 08:15 AM

I know there are some on this forum who do have at least a passing interest in the sport so I thought I'd post the result of last nights highly over-hyped match-up between former UFC champion Royce Gracie and current welterweight champ Matt Hughes.

As most serious fans of the current sport expected the slightly smaller Matt "The Farmer" Hughes completely dominated and destroyed the former champ Gracie controlling every aspect of the fight until the ref was forced to stop the match after about 4 and 1/2 minutes of Gracie being mauled, beaten, and even armlocked.

The sport has evolved far beyond the Gracie's and their one dimensional style and it showed perhaps even more than I expected last night.

**JCFORME** · May 28th, 2006, 08:39 AM

I wonder if Gracie was in his prime what the outcome would be. Im a fan of the gnp, but Royce was def. a submission master at one time.

**Gotch** · May 28th, 2006, 09:13 AM

The Gracies for the most part have failed to evolve with the sport. It's now very difficult to submit the top level guys. The same holds Royce caught the likes of Delucia and Hackney in would be easily countered and escaped by nearly any current top level fighter.

Royce is actually several years younger than Randy Couture for instance. Not saying that he isn't slightly past his prime but this was such a one-sided total beating that I don't think being a few years younger would have made any difference.

**imported_Union_Man** · May 28th, 2006, 10:30 AM

Royce should have never taken the fight. I guess he cleaned up really good with a big payoff, but he was totally outclassed. The style of the UFC has changed. He needs to move on.

**Monkeyhead** · May 28th, 2006, 12:01 PM

Outclassed, overpowered, all around dominated.

**SWVA-Football** · May 28th, 2006, 05:37 PM

Indeed. Gracie is simply getting older and the fighters of today keep improving more and more -- he didn't even stand an ounce of a chance against Hughes.