A couple of weeks ago, we reported on the punishing turn of events that sent two former UFC champions down in dramatic fashion on the Octagon at UFC 84.  Tito Ortiz and Sean Sherk each received well-placed powerful knee hits from their opponents to effectively quell any further resistance from them.

At Saturday's UFC 85: Bedlam in London, former middleweight titleholder, Matt Hughes, found himself on the same unenviable end of Thiago Alves' flying knee early into the second round of their match.  Followed by a few more strikes on the mat, Hughes succumbed to the onslaught just a little over a minute into the said round of their main event draw.

Hughes was already raw from Alves' work on the mat, which had opened a cut on Hughes' face.  As the former UFC middleweight champ tried to get back on his feet, Alves connected with that flying knee and went on to deliver a mouthful of strikes.  The potent combination sent Matt Hughes down one final time, landing awkwardly and possibly blowing his knee out.

After the fight, the beaten Hughes lauded the likes of his opponent, saying, "I don't know what to say about these young fighters that are just as good as they are.”

For Alves, the victory was the biggest of his career thus far.

"It's a dream come true," he said, before alluding to what he plans on achieving after this.  "Next step it's the belt now."

The main bout between Hughes and Alves took the place of the originally scheduled fight between Chuck Liddell and Rashad Evans, which we told you about back in mid-March.  Actually, Liddell was to go up against Mauricio Rua, until the latter needed surgery to repair a ligament on his left knee that was ruptured anew.  Then it was Liddell's turn to go on the injured list after being sidelined by a hamstring problem.  UFC tapped James Irvin to take Liddell's place, but, in a surrealistic string of bad luck, Irvin likewise sustained a foot injury.

UFC 86 is slated for July 5 in Las Vegas, with the main event featuring Forrest Griffin up against champion Quinton Jackson in a light-heavyweight bout.


-Rosario Santiago, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: The Vancouver Sun
(Image Courtesy of UFC)