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UFC:

Matt Hughes signs new multi-fight deal

Former welterweight champ should be ready by February

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Tiffany Brown

Matt Hughes celebrates winning his welterweight bout against Matt Serra at UFC 98 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena on May 23, 2009. Hughes scored a unanimous decision victory in his long awaited showdown with Serra.

Friday, Sept. 4, 2009 | 12:59 p.m.

Battle of the Matts

Battle of the Matts

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In UFC 98's co-main event, Matt Hughes silenced the on-going feud between he and Matt Serra with a unanimous decision over the Terror Saturday night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.

Former UFC welterweight champion Matt Hughes (44-7) announced he has inked a new multi-fight deal with the UFC via his personal Web site Thursday.

Specific details on the length of the 35-year-old fighter's new deal have not yet been disclosed.

“Last week, I went out to Vegas and I signed a multi-fight deal with the UFC, which is much like my last contract,” Hughes said.

Hughes’s previous deal ended in May when he settled a long-standing grudge match with a unanimous decision win over Matt Serra at UFC 98.

At a private dinner with media members in Philadelphia in early August, Serra had expressed a desire to fight Hughes again.

In light of the news of Hughes’s extension, that wish may become a possibility in 2010.

“I still think I won that fight, he had me on the ground but he wasn’t really doing anything from his position,” Serra said. “I’d love to fight him again.”

The closest Hughes came in his post to revealing who might be his next opponent was that one of the names brought up to him by the UFC was, “A person I’ve never fought before.”

However he also added, “Nothing is decided yet, so anything you might be reading on the Internet right now is just rumors and speculation.”

UFC President Dana White told media members at the UFC 102 pre-fight press conference in Portland that he believed Hughes would be ready to fight again close to Super Bowl weekend in February.

Brett Okamoto can be reached at 948-7817 or brett.okamoto@lasvegassun.com.

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UFC 141
Jon Jones defends belt for third time, downs rival Rashad Evans

UFC 145 Jon Jones had already gotten past three former light heavyweight champions in the last 13 months — Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and Lyoto Machida. Now, Rashad Evans can be added to the list. Jones put Evans away in Atlanta with a unanimous decision victory, taking a combined 13 rounds out of a possible 15 combined on the three judges' scorecards. Jones rebuffed all of Evans' takedown attempts to keep the fight against his former training partner standing. Jones' striking was at another level, as he flawlessly mixed elbows, jabs and leg kicks to keep Evans guessing for the duration of the fight.

Main Card Results -
WinnerLoserMethod
Jon JonesRashad EvansUnanimous Decision
Rory MacDonaldChe MillsTKO
Ben RothwellBrendan SchaubKnockout
Michael McDonaldMiguel TorresKnockout
Eddie YaginMark HominickSplit Decision
Mark BocekJohn AlessioUnanimous Decision

Fight Schedule
DateEventHeadlining MatchLocation
June 1 "The Ultimate Fighter Live" finale Jake Ellenberger vs. Martin Kampmann Las Vegas: The Pearl at the Palms
June 8 Boxing: ESPN2 Friday Night Fights Kelly Pavlik vs. Scott Sigmon Las Vegas: The Joint at Hard Rock
June 8 UFC on FX 3 Demetrious Johnson vs. Ian McCall II Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
June 9 Boxing: Pacquiao vs. Bradley Manny Pacquiao vs. Timothy Bradley Las Vegas: MGM Grand Garden Arena
June 22 UFC on FX 4 Gray Maynard vs. Clay Guida Atlantic City, N.J.
June 23 UFC 147 Wanderlei Silva vs. Rich Franklin II Belo Horizonte, Brazil

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