Vice President of Athlete Development and Government Relations is his title. Sounds like he will be a mentor to fighters and will also act as a representative for the UFC in getting the sport of MMA licensed/regulated in new territories.
Hughes retires as the consensus #2 welterweight of all time behind current champion Georges St-Pierre. The 39-year old finishes with a career record of 45-9 (.833) including two UFC Welterweight Championships. Hughes was inducted into the UFC's Hall of Fame in 2010. Hughes' best period in the UFC began in controversy. He fought champion Carlos Newton for the WW title at UFC 34 in 2001. At the end of the bout Newton had secured a triangle choke on a standing Hughes, who pushed him into the cage and eventually passed-out from the choke, in so doing dropping Newton and knocking him out. John McCarthy grabbed a semi-conscious Hughes and lifted his hand declaring him the winner, to his groggy amazement. The UFC granted Newton a rematch in 2002 and Hughes won decisively via TKO. From 2001-2004 Hughes would successfully defend the title five times, defeating Mach Sakurai, Gil Castillo, Sean Sherk, and Frank Trigg. Former lightweight contender BJ Penn shocked the world at UFC 46 when he defeated Hughes via rear naked choke, breaking Hughes' 13-win and title defense streak. Penn would enter into a contract dispute with the UFC and leave the company without defending the belt shortly thereafter. Hughes was able to regain the welterweight strap at UFC 50 where he defeated rising contender Georges St-Pierre by submission (armbar) with one second left in the first round. Hughes would defend his title twice in the next four fights, two of which were catch-weight bouts (with Riggs and Gracie), rematching and defeating BJ Penn at UFC 63. In November of 2006 Hughes passed the torch to St-Pierre, losing by TKO to the French Canadian. Hughes fought eight more times in the UFC (4-4) but did not regain the belt.
