Trigg still can’t watch highlight clip
When the epic final sequence between Matt Hughes and Frank Trigg is shown during the induction of their second bout to the fight wing of the Ultimate Fighting Championship Hall of Fame on Saturday morning, only one of them is likely to glance at the screen.
Trigg, a longtime Las Vegas resident, still has trouble watching as what would have been the defining victory of his career slipped through his fingers at UFC 52 on April 16, 2005.
“I don’t think about it until someone brings it up again, which is pretty much every day. I was on the set of (the TV show) ‘Kingdom’ last week and Nick Jonas asked me about it,” Trigg said. “It’s my million-dollar fight. If I finish him, I’m a millionaire, my confidence increases, my ego gets bigger. I would’ve remained the champ until Georges St. Pierre came around. I lose and I’m at where I’m at now. It was the fork in the road. If I went left I would’ve been OK, but I went right.
“It still hurts a little bit.”
Trigg looked to all the world like he was about to claim the welterweight belt. He battered Hughes with a series of shots on the ground before locking in what appeared to be a deep rear naked choke.
Somehow, Hughes got out of the hold and rose to his feet. He carried Trigg across the cage and slammed him. Moments later, he secured a choke of his own to retain the belt.
The sequence is immortalized as a major part of the UFC highlight package, set to the song “Baba O’Riley” that is played at every live event.
“I leave the arena when that thing comes on,” Trigg said, perhaps only half-joking. “Every other clip on that thing is all the new guys, but that’s still there. They just keep running it. I can’t stand the song. I even have to turn the radio off if it ever comes on. You will always catch me by the bar when that thing is playing. I (expletive) hate it.”
Hughes, of course, has a different perspective. While he rarely watches film of himself fighting, he will always glance up to see the moment he turned the tables on Trigg, who at the time was a bitter rival.
“It’s my favorite clip ever to watch. When I run Frank across the octagon, you see my cornermen going crazy,” Hughes said. “I love that. I do watch it. I love it, not so much for me, but for how excited they were.”
Hughes, who has already been inducted in the Hall of Fame as an individual, said he has even moved on from the contempt he felt for Trigg at the time.
Trigg, who relished the role of instigator during his career, agreed.
“We’re totally fine. He’s a Midwestern farmer. I’m a city kid. We were competitors and we’re both super alpha male so we pushed each other’s buttons. We were trying to sell fights and that’s what we did,” Trigg said. “Our hype lived up to the fight. We were rivals. That’s what we were. We’re married. We’ve got families. And what does Matt have to be mad about, he won both fights.
“We’re extremely friendly now to each other because the rivalry is long since dead.”
But that highlight will live on forever.
BJ Penn will be inducted as the modern era inductee and Bas Rutten will be enshrined as the pioneer era fighter. The late Jeff Blatnick will be honored as the contributor inductee.
■ FIGHT WEEK — The fourth annual UFC Fan Expo once again highlights International Fight Week in Las Vegas.
The massive collection of exhibits and fan experiences takes place Friday and Saturday at the Sands Expo and Convention Center.
The event, which will encompass more than 555,000 square feet of area on the floor and will include the Hall of Fame induction ceremony, is one of more than a dozen events around town leading up to UFC 189 at the MGM Grand Garden on Saturday and “The Ultimate Fighter” finale fight card on Sunday in the same arena.
The organization will host the Ulti-Man 5K to benefit Three Square Food Bank at the Fremont Street Experience on Saturday morning. UFC president Dana White is scheduled to participate, alongside several fighters.
The Fan Expo will also host several amateur grappling and kickboxing tournaments, as well as the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation World Championships. A fitness competition, with a $10,000 first-place prize in both the men’s and women’s divisions, will also be conducted.
Fight Week will also be filled with parties, beginning with a kickoff event at Hyde Bellagio on Tuesday night. There are pool parties at LIQUID Pool Lounge and Foxtail on Thursday, featuring fighters and octagon girls. A charity bowling event at Brooklyn Bowl and a chef competition between four UFC fighters will also take place on Thursday night.
This year’s free downtown concert on Friday night will feature Dropkick Murphys.
A full schedule of events can be found at UFCFightWeek.com.
■ MELENDEZ SUSPENDED — UFC lightweight contender Gilbert Melendez tested positive for “exogenous origin of testosterone metabolites” following a UFC 188 loss to Eddie Alvarez last month in Mexico City.
The UFC announced the result in a news release on Monday.
Alvarez has been suspended for one year and pulled from a scheduled bout against Al Iaquinta on July 15 in San Diego.
“Regrettably, I tested positive in my post fight urine sample for UFC 188,” Melendez said in a statement. “I did not inject anything, but I am responsible and accept the consequences for the results. I will make sure I am better educated about the products I use and their implications. Going forward I will ensure no products I use will contain banned substances. I am sincerely apologetic to everyone who supports me, including my fans, sponsors and the UFC. I value your trust and respect and will do everything in my power to keep it.”
UFC officials are seeking a replacement opponent for Iaquinta.
■ CYBORG FIGHTS IN LAS VEGAS — Cristiane “Cyborg” Justino will put her Invicta Fighting Championship featherweight title on the line against Faith Van Duin in the main event of a card at the Cosmopolitan on Thursday night.
Justino has long been a rumored potential opponent for UFC bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey at some point, but has often said she would have a hard time getting down to 135 pounds. The UFC does not have a featherweight division for women.
Thursday will mark the first time Invicta, an organization with an entire roster of female fighters, holds an event in Las Vegas.
Also on the card, Rousey’s close friend and training partner Marina Shafir will fight Amber Leibrock.
Contact reporter Adam Hill at ahill@reviewjournal.com or 702-224-5509. Follow him on Twitter: @adamhilllvrj.
