Hughes camp sets the record straight on remarks about Renzo

The Real Hughes and Renzo Story

From: Matt Pena Send

Member Since: 4/2/05

Posts: 126

The claims that Hughes is calling Renzo old is a complete fabrication from a writer struggling to find a story, so he is making one! I was next to the two guys when they were doing their interviews both times in Miami. Hughes was having fun with the interview and making a references to how the young new generation of fighters has arrived, and how him and Renzo were the older guys fighters in the division. So Cofield turns this, and tells Serra that “Matt called Renzo old” in an attempt to create fireworks. A gracious Serra (after his win) saw right through it, and said Hughes must have been kidding. Then Serra said, if Matt thinks Renzo old than Hughes is taking Renzo too lightly. All of a sudden he’s pushing a story that Serra said, “Hughes is taking Renzo too lightly”.

The truth is, Matt thinks Renzo is the best MMA fighting Gracie out there. Matt is currently in Salt Lake City with Jeremy Horn and myself at Elite Performance. Matt showing up to camp 9 weeks out is a record for him. Hardly the signs of someone taking a fight lightly. We anticipate a tough fight, and Matt will be ready for a tough fight.

Cofield at Cagewriter purely has an axe to grind with Hughes, which is kind of funny. When reading his articles, his opinion and knowledge of Hughes is based on what he saw on The Ultimate Fighter show. This is purely laughable. Everyone knows its edited to create a storyline (having done two seasons myself, you still may not know how badly its edited). Those that have actually met Matt, spent time with him and dislike him, I can respect that. Everyone has a personality type that doesn’t mesh with them.

I think its sad that in such an exciting sport as MMA, with so many interesting things to write about that MMA atheletes have to deal with guys like this. Cofield is just one of a handful of MMA bloggers/journalist that use such underhanded techniques to create a story. There are a many very good sports writers out there, so understand that I’m not lumping them all together. But in no other sport out there are there so many bad writers, writers trying to make a living out of disrespecting the athletes.

Matt Pena

(Boxing Coach, H.I.T. Squad)