​​By Shawn Smith 

The "Legend League" idea recently presented by Vitor Belfort might have legs after all.

On Wednesday, MMAFighting.com reported that Matt Hughes, a longtime UFC welterweight champion who hasn't fought since September 2011, is considering coming out of retirement. Word is there are preliminary talks with Bellator MMA about a potential fight, and his opponent could be former foe Royce Gracie.

The interview in which the news originated was part of "Undeniable with Joe Buck," a talk show hosted by famed football and baseball commentator Joe Buck. In the clip available on YouTube, Hughes said that "If I could find an opponent that I could definitely beat, I would go again."


This news comes on the heels of Belfort suggesting a "Legend League" for aging fighters to compete against one another.

His idea was straightforward: have older fighters compete against one another for titles that only they were eligible for. His idea for safety precautions included eliminating knee and elbow strikes, having shorter rounds, and using thicker gloves.

If you're a regular reader of FloCombat, you'll remember a column (by yours truly) saying that Belfort's idea of a fighting league within the UFC for older fighters was a bad idea. In fact, I think I called it terrible (​editor's note: Yep, you called it terrible).

Belfort's comments were made prior to his UFC Fight Night 106 headlining bout against Kelvin Gastelum this past Saturday, when Belfort was effectively picked apart before losing via TKO just 3:52 into the first round.

Hughes is nearly six years retired from MMA, and there's little reason to believe he could still compete against any of the top fighters in the sport. He left after back-to-back losses to B.J. Penn and Josh Koscheck, both in the first round.

My position on a Hughes comeback isn't much different than it was for Belfort's idea of a "Legend League." With nothing left to prove, why keep fighting?

Despite what some may think, I do have some sympathy for the plight of an aging fighter. It's not easy to lose physical attributes and have the spotlight's shine redirected to someone else.

Here's where ex-fighters can probably explain better than I ever could.

In two-time world champion boxer Paulie Malignaggi's emotional video, entitled "Paulie Malignaggi: Dear Boxing," he explains. 

"I don't need the money, I don't need the fame, but I still need to fight," Malignaggi says. "Even my friends think I'm crazy, and maybe I am. But hey, I would have never been a champ if I weren't. ... My mind knows better, my heart doesn't. It's my heart that got me here in the first place."


Malginaggi is one of many fighters in both MMA and boxing who held on far too long. James Toney and his disintegrating speech patterns come to mind as well. Roy Jones Jr., still competing as he approaches 50, isn't far off either. The previously mentioned Penn also fits the bill, putting up poor performance after poor performance as he continues to age.

For Hughes, who turns 44 in October, a return to the cage doesn't make sense.

Would a fight against Gracie or any of the other fighters in Bellator do good ratings? I believe they would. We as fight consumers have a weak spot for aging fighters. Maybe it's the "Rocky" movies, but fight fans love a good underdog story.

But this isn't play time, and it isn't a game. Fighters get hurt; they get hurt worse as they continue to age.

The potential positive of a payday (Hughes insists he doesn't need the money) and some high ratings aren't worth the potential dangers.