Penn shocks Hughes

B.J. Penn is far from finished. Lightweight legend disappeared from pound-for-pound top 10 lists after dropping two fights to current UFC lightweight champ Frankie Edgar. Looks like Edgar is just that good and a terrible matchup for Penn. Against a slower, less dangerous striker in Matt Hughes, Penn looked like a world beater.

Hughes came out looking to strike and got drilled by a counter right. The former welterweight champ fell to his back where he took four blasting rights and a left. Referee Dan Miragliotta stepped in to save Hughes at 0:21 of the first round in the co-main event of UFC 123.

Seconds after the TKO, a confused Hughes asked his cornermen, "what happened?"

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Quinton “Rampage” Jackson couldn’t solve the defensive wizardry of Lyoto Machida and deliver the knockout he wanted in the main event of UFC 123 on Saturday night, but he did enough to secure a split decision in a battle so close that Jackson said Machida deserved an immediate rematch.

“Machida whipped (me) tonight,” Jackson said. “I’m so ashamed of myself tonight. He did a great job. I didn’t get to do what I wanted. I say the fight was so close, even though I don’t want to, I have to give him a rematch.”

Quinton "Rampage" Jackson was surprised to find his hand raised after he was announced as the winner of his UFC 123 match against Lyoto Machida.
(Getty Images)

The unusual concession came after three rounds of, at times, awkward fighting in what was billed as a clash of styles here at the Palace of Auburn Hills.

Jackson, of Memphis, comes from an old-school brawling, wrestling background. He starred in last summer’s “The A-Team” as B.A. Baracus. Machida, of Brazil, is a karate-based counter attacker from Brazil. Both are former UFC light heavyweight champions.

Jackson chased Machida for most of the fight but only occasionally landed a heavy punch. Machida countered with some strong kicks and controlled Jackson on the ground during the third round, but it wasn’t enough. The judges seemed impressed with Rampage’s aggressiveness.