Matt Hughes’ dominant win over Ricardo Almeida and BJ Penn’s second consecutive loss to UFC Lightweight Champion Frankie Edgar has allowed their paths to cross again. Penn and Hughes will fight for the third time at UFC 123 on November 20.
Making his return to welterweight, Penn will attempt to gain a 2-1 advantage over Hughes, who has been referred to as the “most dominant welterweight of all time.”
Penn won their first encounter in 2004 with a late first-round submission. He got the better of Hughes for the first two rounds of their rematch in 2006, but a combination of fatigue and a possible injury to Penn allowed Hughes to take control in round three, and he ended up scoring a ground-and-pound TKO from a crucifix position.
Prior to the Almeida fight, Hughes had been written off as the type of UFC veteran that could still draw as a main card fighter but would be unlikely to seriously contend for a championship. A win over Penn, however, would almost definitely bring Hughes within striking distance of the top of the card, especially if Georges St. Pierre, who decisively beat Hughes in the duo’s last two outings, loses his title to Josh Koscheck later this year.
Quinton “Rampage” Jackson vs. Lyoto Machida headlines the November 20 card.