Former UFC Welterweight Champion Matt Hughes, who in his heyday dominated the ranks of the 170lbs weight class, hasn't fought in over a year and hasn't picked up a win in over two leading many to assume he may be at the end of his career.
Hughes has spoke in recent interviews about retirement and last week he spoke with Ariel Helwani about where he's at in his life at this point:
"I wouldn't say I've closed the door [on my career], but I've got my hand on the door handle," Hughes said on Monday's edition of The MMA Hour. "You know it's been over a year since I've fought, and I've having a good time with my family raising my kids, which I think is a bigger thing than me competing, making sure my family is raised right. So I'm having a good time at home with the family, and kind of, maybe, lost the desire just a little bit to compete. I'm not retired yet, but it is looking like that's where I'm going."
"We have talked and he's voiced his opinion about me," admits Hughes. "He just says I've got nothing to prove, and for Dana to say that, it means something. I think he's taking my best interests to heart. I still think he could make some money off me, put me on a card, but he's looking past the financial side of things, and saying, ‘Hey, you've been here for a long time and you're good to go. You can retire.' With him talking like a father and not a businessman, it really lets it sink in a little deeper than it would the other way.
Source Matt Hughes Has Hand On The Retirement Door