BJ Penn (15-7-1 MMA, 11-6-1 UFC) vs. Matt Hughes (45-7 MMA, 18-5 UFC)
How we got here:
When Matt Hughes and BJ Penn square off in UFC 123's co-main event on Saturday night, they will do so with almost seven years of history.
The pair first met at UFC 46 in Jan. 2004. At the time, Hughes was riding a 13-fight winning streak and had successfully defended his UFC welterweight title five times. Penn was moving up to welterweight for the first time in his career after two unsuccessful bids at UFC lightweight gold. Hughes had 38 career fights going into the bout, Penn had eight. Many people, including Hughes, expected it to be a squash match.
Of course, the expected and what actually transpires can vary greatly in MMA, and thus was the case that Saturday night. Penn blasted Hughes with an overhand right from guard, then took back mount and submitted the champion with a rear-naked choke. In just 4:39, Penn had stunned the world.
After winning the title, Penn left the UFC for other challenges, going 3-1 outside the organization while fighting twice at middleweight and once at light heavyweight. Hughes, meanwhile, rebounded from the loss with a unanimous decision victory over Renato Verissimo, then submitted Georges St. Pierre to reclaim the welterweight belt that Penn had vacated.
Penn returned to the UFC two years later and lost a close split decision to St. Pierre for another shot at the title. When St. Pierre was forced to withdraw from the title bout with an injury, Penn stepped in, setting up the rematch that Hughes had been looking for.
Hughes was nearly defeated by Penn again, giving up his back at one point and nearly getting submitted in a triangle/ armbar combination. By the third round, though, Penn's cardio was failing him, and Hughes was able to pound Penn out on the ground to avenge his loss.
The career trajectories of these two champions seemed to go in opposite directions at thas point. Penn dropped back down to lightweight and went 5-1 over the next three years, claiming the lightweight title and successfully defending it three times. Hughes went 1-3 after the bout, losing twice to St. Pierre and once to Thiago Alves. When Hughes finally fought longtime rival Matt Serra at UFC 98, many were questioning how much the former champion had left.
However, recent history has seen another reversal of fortunes. Penn lost back-to-back decisions to now-champion Frankie Edgar, leading some to question his team and training camps. Hughes has seen a resurgence, winning three straight bouts over Brazilin jiu-jitsu black belts Serra, Renzo Gracie and Ricardo Almeida.
The stage has now been set for two of the UFC's most storied champions to see who will claim the rubber match.
