UFC 60: HUGHES vs GRACIE

UFC 60: Matt Hughes vs Royce Gracie
Saturday, May 27
Distributed by Canadastar Boxing Inc.
To Canadian Commercial Locations
On Closed Circuit-Pay Per View

THE BOUT

A LEGEND RETURNS, A CHAMPION IS READY!

After 11 years away from from the house that he built, Royce Gracie will awe the fight world when he returns to the Octagon to take on UFC Champion, Matt Hughes and prove, once and for all that he is the master in the sport of mixed martial arts.

"It's incredible to have this fight," said UFC President, Dana White. "No one respects Royce and Matt more than I. Royce started the UFC in this country. To have Matt and Royce fight in LA in front of 20,000 people is a dream come true - it's the biggest thing ever to happen in this sport - and I'm glad that I will be there, experiencing first-hand just how far the UFC has come."

"We are very pleased that the UFC has chosen STAPLES Center as their organization's first-ever Los Angeles arena event," said Lee Zeldman, General Manager, STAPLES Center. "Over the years, we have had many inquiries from fans hoping to attend a UFC-sanctioned event here and are proud to host such a prestigious match-up for the UFC's first visit. Our guests are in for a spectacular night of sports entertainment on May 27th."

Matt Hughes, with an incredible 40-4-0 record, is considered the greatest welterweight champion in the history of the UFC. He started fighting in 1999 at UFC 22, and spent two years climbing his way up the division. Finally, at UFC 34 in 2001, he won the UFC Welterweight Championship by defeating Carlos Newton by KO. From there, he won five consecutive fights, holding the title for three years before losting it to BJ Penn at UFC 46 in 2004, succumbing to a rear naked choke at 4:39 of the first round. Matt regained the vacant welterweight crown at UFC 50 in 2004 by stopping Georges St. Pierre with an arm bar at 4:59 of the first round, and defended his title at UFC 52 in 2005 against Frank Trigg, winning by a rear naked choke. Recently, he fought Joe Riggs at UFC 56 in November 2005 in a non-championship bout and submitted him by Kimura at 3:28 of the first round.

Gracie, 39, compiled an amazing 11 wins, no losses, 1 draw and 1 no contest in the UFC during his two-year stay in the organization, defeating fellow famers, Ken Shamrock and Dan Severn along the way. Even more impressive, were Gracie's three tournament wins in UFC 1, UFC 2, and UFC 4, when he defeated three, four, and three oppponents, respectively, in the same night, a record that will never be touched. Gracie is credited for launcing MMA in the United States. Returning to active competition in 2000, after a five-year absence, Gracie has recently thrilled fight fans in Japan, but in May, he returns to the Octagon to take on Matt Hughes.

The remaining fighters and bouts for UFC 60 will be announced in the near future.