★ Championship Bout · Welterweight
UFC 42: Sudden Impact
Miami, USA
25 Apr 2003
Welterweight
VS
59%
Hughes
41%
Sherk
Win Probability
Decision
Round 5 · 5:00
MH
Matt Hughes
45 – 9
5'9"73" reachSwitch52 yrs2-fight slideWell-Rounded
CFR 23
SS
Sean Sherk
"The Muscle Shark"
36 – 4
Well-Rounded52 yrsOrthodox67" reach5'6"
CFR 16

Combatrics Intelligence

Data-driven breakdown · fighter metrics

Edge: Hughes

This is a genuine toss-up — Hughes at 59% vs Sherk at 41% (CFR ratings). One of the hardest fights to call on the card.

Key angles

Hughes has beaten significantly higher-quality opposition — a QoV edge of 28 points.

Hughes has the striking edge in both volume and accuracy.

Risk flags

Hughes's chin rating of 0 flags durability concerns based on KO history.

Sherk has a chin rating of 52 — a potential KO vulnerability.

Hughes
Sherk
Physical Matchup
Height · Reach · Age · Stance
5'9"+
Height
5'6"
73"+
Reach
67"
52
Age
52
Switch
Stance
Orthodox
Hughes
Sherk
Composite Fighter Rating
Overall score combining performance, win quality, momentum & durability
23.0
16.2
64.6
Performance Avg
45.8
60
Quality of Victory
32
100
Momentum Score
65
Hughes
Sherk
Striking
Significant strikes per minute & accuracy
1.3
0.8
56%
Strike Accuracy
32%
4.8
Striking Style Score (/10)
1.3
6 KOs
KO Finishes
0 KOs
Strike targetStrike target
4
Head
3
2
Body
0
0
Leg
0
RangeRange
2Distance0
0Clinch0
4Ground3
Hughes
Sherk
Grappling
Takedowns, submissions & wrestling
—
—
0.1
Sub Attempts / fight
—
2.9
Grappling Style Score (/10)
2.8
2.0
Wrestling Style Score (/10)
2.0
0:00
Control Time (this fight)
0:00
0
Reversals
0
Hughes
Sherk
Durability / Chin
Resilience against knockouts and stoppages
0
52
2 consec. KOs
Verdict
KO risk
4
KO/TKO Losses
2
3
Sub Losses
0
Avg R1.5 stoppage
KO round context
Avg R2.5 stoppage
Most recent fight
Last KO loss
3 fights ago
—
Strikes absorbed / min
—
25/54 fights
Chin rating based on
12/40 fights
Hughes
Sherk
Form & Momentum
Recent fight performance — most recent weighted 30%
100
65
2-fight 📉 slide
Current form
L · KO · R1
L · KO · R1
W · Sub · R1
W · KO · R3
W · Dec · R3
Last 5
W · Dec · R3
L · Dec · R3
W · Dec · R3
L · KO · R3
W · Dec · R5
Hughes
Sherk
Finish Rate
Percentage of wins by KO/TKO or Submission
61%
13%
6
KO / TKO Wins
0
5
Submission Wins
1
7
Decision Wins
7

Style Fingerprint

Combatrics radar — 6 fighting dimensions scored 0–10

Hughes
Sherk
Striking4.8 / 1.3Volume3.7 / 7.3Grappling2.9 / 2.8Wrestling2.0 / 2.0Submission2.8 / 1.3Pressure6.4 / 2.9
Fighter 1
Fighter 2
4.8
Striking
KO power & stand-up volume
1.3
2.9
Grappling
Ground control & clinch
2.8
2.0
Wrestling
Takedown threat & defence
2.0
2.8
Submission
Submission attack frequency
1.3
6.4
Pressure
Clinch/ground work rate
2.9
3.7
Volume
Decision-pace fighting
7.3
Hughes
Strike Zones
Sherk
Hughes
Attacking
4HEAD2BODY0LEGS6 landed
Absorbing
3HEAD0BODY0LEGS3 absorbed
Sherk
Attacking
3HEAD0BODY0LEGS3 landed
Absorbing
4HEAD2BODY0LEGS6 absorbed
Targeting Overlap
🎯Hughes targets the head (67% of attacks) — Sherk absorbs 67% of strikes there
🎯Sherk targets the head (100% of attacks) — Hughes absorbs 100% of strikes there

Round by Round

This fight · per-round breakdown

Hughes
RND
Sherk
0/0R00/0

Hughes · QOF Timeline

Avg: 4.0
0104.5W4.0W1.5L5.1W5.4W5.4W4.0W4.5W5.0W1.5L4.5W5.0W5.0W5.0W5.0W5.2W2.1L4.5W2.1L2.8L4.5W5.5W5.0W1.5L1.5L1999-092003-042006-052010-042011-09
WinLossTrend

Sherk · QOF Timeline

Avg: 4.4
0105.2W4.5W4.0W5.5L2.8L4.5W4.5W4.5W2.8L4.5W5.5L4.5W2001-022003-042006-102008-102010-09
WinLossTrend

Hughes · Last 5

L · KO · R1
Josh KoscheckRating 1.5
KO/TKO
UFC 135: Jones vs Rampage · 2011-09
L · KO · R1
BJ PennRating 1.5
KO/TKO
UFC 123: Rampage vs Machida · 2010-11
W · Sub · R1
Ricardo AlmeidaRating 5
Submission
UFC 117: Silva vs Sonnen · 2010-08
W · KO · R3
Renzo GracieRating 5.5
KO/TKO
UFC 112: Invincible · 2010-04
W · Dec · R3
Matt SerraRating 4.5
Decision
UFC 98: Evans vs Machida · 2009-05

Sherk · Last 5

W · Dec · R3
Evan DunhamRating 4.5
Decision
UFC 119: Mir vs Cro Cop · 2010-09
L · Dec · R3
Frankie EdgarRating 5.5
Decision
UFC 98: Evans vs Machida · 2009-05
W · Dec · R3
Tyson GriffinRating 4.5
Decision
UFC 90: Silva vs Cote · 2008-10
L · KO · R3
BJ PennRating 2.8
KO/TKO
UFC 84: Ill Will · 2008-05
W · Dec · R5
Hermes FrancaRating 4.5
Decision
UFC 73: Stacked · 2007-07

News & Media

Matt Hughes · Sean Sherk
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