I’m just headed back from Texas. I’ve been down with Texas Trophy Hunters filming a commercial for a new sponsor called Ammo To Go. This is an ammunition company where you order off of the internet and it will be shipped directly to your door. The shoot was a lot of fun as I generally have a good time with all the TTHA folk. Here is a picture that was snapped during some of the filming:
A couple of weekends ago I went over to the Arnold Classic and sat at the Lone Star Distribution booth. The Arnold Classic was very busy, I sat for 4 hours on Friday and another 4 hours on Saturday for Lone Star and I never saw the end of the line. The good thing about going to a place like that is that you get to see a lot of “pretty” people. Male or female you could just tell that people took good care of themselves and I’m a fan of people being healthy.
Sharon is a lady from Lone Star that I dealt with, she also does some writing and wrote this up. I found it a pretty interesting article so I wanted to post it.
I had a great time with Lone Star and actually with all of the people at the Arnold. A 4-hour signing can be pretty brutal, but all in all I met some great people and I had a lot of fun.
My boy Joey and I are on this week’s show for Trophy Hunters TV on the Outdoor Channel. It airs Wednesday at 7 AM. So, Wednesday morning at 7 AM, Joey and I are always watching TV with a bowl of cereal in front of us. If you get the Outdoor Channel, tune in tomorrow morning or Saturday night.
Tuesday at 6pm EST / 5pm CST
Wednesday at 8am EST / 7am CST
Saturday at 8pm EST / 7pm CST
The show description for this week:
NORTH TEXAS WHITETAILS (Airs the week of March 12, 2012)
In this two-part episode, we head to north Texas, where we visit Rio Rojo Rancho in search of trophy whitetails. Then we travel 200 miles west where we find Matt Hughes and son Joey, hunting the elusive feral hog and whitetail.
The Bible verse for this week:
Jesus gave His life for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live. (Galatians 1:4)
Right now I’m headed to Columbus, Ohio to make an appearance for Lone Star Distribution at the Arnold Classic. I’ll be there tomorrow and Saturday at the Lone Star booth. Come see me.
There’s been quite a few matches here recently that have been close with some disagreement on who really won the fight (Edgar/Henderson, Diaz/Condit). The only thing I have to say about close decisions is that you should never let it go to the judges because you never know what is going to happen. When time expires and nobody has won, sometimes it’s like flipping a coin.
Last weekend, I was inducted into the NJCAA Hall of Fame. I travelled to Rochester, Minnesota to receive the award and watch the matches. Had a great time, saw a lot of old friends, watched some very good matches, and probably the best thing about the trip was the time I got to spend with Dave Klemm. We rode up and back together and just got to catch up. For those who don’t know, Dave was my wrestling coach at Lincoln College. The Linx had several place winners, one national champion and ended up taking third as a team.
Been working out a bit and my body’s feeling pretty good. Kind of getting that itch to compete a little bit.
This Saturday night is a new episode of Trophy Hunters TV on the Outdoor Channel. It has me going to a gym and doing some work there. Check with the times listed below and tune in if you can:
Tuesday at 6pm EST / 5pm CST
Wednesday at 8am EST / 7am CST
Saturday at 8pm EST / 7pm CST
The show description for this week:
MATT MEETS THE MAT (Airs the week of February 27, 2012)
While hunting for whitetail in south Texas, Matt Hughes visits a local MMA gym to meet fellow combatants weeks before an upcoming fight. And he still has time to kill a south Texas trophy whitetail.
The Bible verse for this week:
Lazy people want much but get little, but those who work hard will prosper. (Proverbs 13:4)
Been getting a lot of questions about my predictions for the fights coming up this weekend, so here they are:
Bisping/Sonnen:
I actually think this is going to be a pretty close fight. Bisping is one of those guys that you can never bet against. He just always seems to find a way to win. I definitely believe Chael has the ability to win, but he never seems to win the matches that he should. So, all in all, the fight is too close for me to call.
Evans/Davis:
This is actually another close fight to me. I do think Rashad will be a slight favorite. He’s been in a lot more big fights than Davis and I think Rashad will also have a slight stand up advantage. This will be an interesting fight. Davis and I get along well and I enjoy his company and I do give him the advantage with the wrestling. But I still have to give Rashad a slight advantage in the fight.
Sorry about the predictions, since they are both close calls; but it should be an interesting night of fights.
Here are the airtimes for this seasons’ episodes of Trophy Hunters TV, which I’m hosting on the Outdoor Channel:
Tuesday at 6pm EST / 5pm CST
Wednesday at 8am EST / 7am CST
Saturday at 8pm EST / 7pm CST
The show description for this week:
BEAR ALONG THE BERING’S EDGE (Airs the week of January 23, 2011)
A double brown bear hunt in Alaska. Trophy Hunters TV spends 12 days in the Alaskan bush hunting brown bear.
The Bible verse for this week:
The Godly are directed by honesty, the wicked fall beneath their load of sin. (Proverbs 11:5)
There is an end of the year UFC tonight and I think the main event is going to be pretty exciting. I think Brock will win it in the second or third round. I would say that the only way Overeem can win is by a KO/referee stoppage in the first round; but I think Brock’s takedowns will play a huge part and I would say that he could get on top of him, wear him out and win the fight.
Trophy Hunters TV starts a new season and will have new episodes for the next three months. A new season also means new airtimes and here is what they are:
Tuesday at 6pm EST / 5pm CST
Wednesday at 8am EST / 7am CST
Saturday at 8pm EST / 7pm CST
They’ve done a few things different for the new season and I like what they’ve done. So watch it and let me know what you think.
The show description for this week:
1 Critter, 2 Critter, 3 Critter Boom! (Airs the week of December 26, 2011)
Matt Hughes hunts for big whitetail bucks at Agarita Ranch in South Texas, with ranch manager, Tye Green.
I hope everybody had a great Christmas, I know I did and I also wish everybody a great start to the New Year.
The Bible verse for this week:
And she will have a Son, and you are to name Him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins. (Matthew 1:21)
I just wanted to say Merry Christmas to everyone out there and to thank our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, for giving us the greatest gift we will ever receive and for making the ultimate sacrifice for our salvation. I hope everyone has a great day and please don’t forget our troops who are still out there defending our freedom. God bless.
Doing a lot of hunting and on the road a lot, so it’s been a little while since I’ve been here for a blog. When I get home, I’ve always got the “honey do” list to catch up on as well as reacquainting myself with the kids. I love to hunt, but man has this hunting season been dragging on. I’ve been able to kill quite a few animals this year and if you’re interested in what they are, follow me on Twitter (matthughes9x) and I’ll usually post a picture of my most recent kill.
The last two UFC events have been great. I was very interested in the Machida/Jones match up and it went kind of like I was hoping. I wanted Jones to get tested a little bit and then, as I figured he would, he eventually won. I read somewhere that two judges gave the first round to Jones. I’m very surprised at this as I really thought that Machida won the first round. That’s the one and only thing that I’ve always had a complaint with in this sport is the judging. I was also interested in the Noguiera/Mir match up as I wanted to see some groundwork. I saw the key-lock coming and was a little surprised Noguiera didn’t. Overall, I’m sure the UFC has been pretty happy with the last couple of events.
With only 11 days until Christmas, I hope everybody can take some time out from buying gifts and being busy and just enjoy what you have. I hope everybody has a safe and happy Christmas.
Air Dates & Times for 2011
Beginning August 15, 2011
Wednesday, 10:00 AM EST / 9:00 AM CST
Thursdays, 2:30 PM EST / 1:30 PM CST
Thursdays, 12:30 AM EST / 11:30 AM CST
Saturdays, 8:00 PM EST / 7:00 PM CST
The show description for this week:
“COLORADO ELK & TEXAS EXOTICS”
(Airs the week of December 12th, 2011)
A seasoned bowhunter goes all out to take a Rocky Mountain elk bull and two businessmen from Pennsylvania escape to Texas for a crossbow hunt only to find the heat was more than they bargained for.
The Bible verse for this week:
Put on the full armor of God so you can make your stand against the devil’s schemes. (Ephesians 6:13)
San Antonio, Texas – Texas Trophy Hunters Association™ (TTHA) is proud to announce that its television show, TROPHY HUNTERS TV®, has been awarded a Lone Star Emmy Award for excellence in video editing.
The Lone Star EMMY Chapter is part of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, and is the standard-bearer for excellence in the television broadcasting industry and the gatekeepers of the prestigious regional EMMY Awards in Texas. TTHA is honored to have won the category, Editor – Program (non-news).
“This is a great honor that represents the awesome work of Editor, Preston Janis and our entire production team and host, Matt Hughes,” states Joe Betar, TTHA President. “Winning three Telly Awards and now a Lone Star Emmy Award in 2011, demonstrates that we are reaching our goals for excellence in production. Thank you to our viewers and program sponsors Nikon® Sport Optics, Mossy Oak® Brand Camo, Cuddeback® Digital, Barnes® Bullets, Browning®, Otis® Technology, Big & J Industries, Barnett® Crossbows, MB Ranch King Blinds and Morrell Targets.”
“Congratulations to Preston Janis for his award winning editing work on TROPHY HUNTERS TV®,” states Dean Schanbaum, Director of TROPHY HUNTERS TV® and TTHA’s First Take Media television production department. “This award reveals the caliber of talented individuals who make up our entire post production team. It is truly an honor to work with such gifted people.”
TROPHY HUNTERS TV®, winner of three Telly Awards at the 32nd Annual Telly Awards, features host 9X UFC® Welterweight Champion and Hall of Famer Matt Hughes. Matt’s love of the outdoors guides viewers through stories and exciting hunting adventures-both his own and those of others. More than just the pursuit of wild game, Trophy Hunters TV® blends compelling storytelling with exciting hunting action, featuring Texas deer hunting and adventures from around the world including bow hunting, trophy elk hunting, bear hunting and more.
TROPHY HUNTERS TV® airs exclusively on Outdoor Channel, Saturdays at 8 pm EST/7 pm CST (check your provider for additional air days and times). Outdoor Channel may be found on DirecTV Channel 606, Dish Network Channel 396 or check your local cable provider for additional listings. To see the complete show schedule, a complete listing of upcoming episodes and to watch show samples, log on to TTHA.com.
San Antonio, Texas – Texas Trophy Hunters Association™ (TTHA) needs your help to make TROPHY HUNTERS TV®, a contender for the 2011 Golden Moose Awards.
Each year, Outdoor Channel viewers choose their favorite outdoor television show as a Golden Moose “Fan Favorite.” Voting for the Golden Moose Award, “Fan Favorite” begins Wednesday, November 16, 2011. Viewers are encouraged to log on to www.OutdoorChannel.com to cast their votes for TROPHY HUNTERS TV® (you can also copy and paste this address in your browser bar: http://www.outdoorchannel.com/content_norail.aspx?id=7161 ) in the FAN FAVORITE voting. Voting will continue until December 26, 2011.
Please vote for TTHA in the following categories:
Best Host/Personality: TROPHY HUNTERS TV® – Matt Hughes
Best Hunting Series: TROPHY HUNTERS TV®
Best Overall: TROPHY HUNTERS TV®
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Winner of three Telly Awards at the 32nd Annual Telly Awards and a 2011 Lone Star Emmy Award, TROPHY HUNTERS TV® features 9X UFC® Welterweight Champion and Hall of Famer Matt Hughes as host. Matt’s love of the outdoors captivates viewers through stories and exciting hunting adventures-both his own and those of others. More than just the pursuit of wild game, Trophy Hunters TV® blends compelling storytelling with exciting hunting action, featuring Texas deer hunting and adventures from around the world including bow hunting, trophy elk hunting, bear hunting and more. TROPHY HUNTERS TV® is sponsored by Nikon® Sport Optics, Mossy Oak® Brand Camo, Cuddeback® Digital, Barnes® Bullets, Browning®, Otis® Technology, Big & J Industries, Barnett® Crossbows, MB Ranch King Blinds and Morrell Targets
To see the complete show schedule, a complete listing of upcoming episodes and to watch show samples, log on to OutdoorChannel.com.
TROPHY HUNTERS TV® airs exclusively on Outdoor Channel, Saturdays at 8 pm EST/7 pm CST (check your provider for additional air days and times). Outdoor Channel may be found on DirecTV Channel 606, Dish Network Channel 396 or check your local cable provider for additional listings.
This weekend is UFC 137: Penn vs. Diaz and Audra and I will be out there rooting for several fighters. Dustin Jacoby, who used to fight out of the HIT Squad is competing; also from Pat’s old gym, Bart Palaszewski; Jeff Curran, a native northern Illinois boy is competing; and, as you all know, I’m going to go out and help BJ cut any weight and help him out in any way I can.
I really feel that if BJ is in shape, he should win this fight. I think BJ’s striking is better, I think BJ’s take-downs are better, and I think BJ’s ground game is better. So the only way I see Diaz winning is if he gasses BJ out. If you’re going out for the fight, hit the forums and let me know.
I’m currently driving home from the airport dictating this blog to Nate (my webmaster) over the phone. I’ve been sitting here debating whether I should tell this story or not and I’ve decided to go ahead and share it. So here we go: I’m in the airport bathroom washing my hands, getting ready to pick up my luggage and get on the shuttle. A man at the sink next to me says, “I’m surprised to see you here.” I do my typical thing where I look at him like I don’t know what he’s talking about. He then says, “UFC right?” and I say “Yes.” I then look him over a little bit and he’s an older gentlemen (he eventually told me he was 62) wearing nice clothes. He asks for a picture and I say sure we’ll step outside and snap a pic. Usually when I do this, we’ll find a third person to actually take the picture, so that way we’re both in the picture. Well he just whipped his camera out and took a picture of me, giving me just enough time to get my hands up into a fighting pose. I then went and grabbed my luggage and found a shuttle to take me to my truck. When I sat down in the shuttle he was sitting across from me. We struck up a conversation and as more people got on the shuttle, space got cramped, so I jumped over and sat next to him. I thought if I’m going to sit next to somebody, I might as well sit next to a good conversation. I would call myself a question-asker, so I quickly started to find out a little more about him. He was returning from a trip down to Dallas for a job interview. A few months back, he was let go from his job. He had mentioned that he was going to send the picture to his kid, so I asked about that. Turns out he’s been married for a long time and has 11 kids, ages 21-31. Then he tells me one of his boys is handicapped and lives in the house with them. He also said that his wife has never asked for anything, except that her father with cerebral palsy live out the rest of his life in their house. I asked a few questions about that and he says it’s tough because people with CP just don’t remember anything. After he tells me this, he keeps talking; but to be honest, I go straight to prayer for him and his family. Especially asking that he gets the job that he travelled so far to interview for. At this moment, I feel God putting something on my heart and when I get that feeling, a lot of times I’ll try and make God prove it to me. So I fired right back, “God if you want me to do this, have him get off the shuttle when I get off.” In a parking lot with a couple hundred cars, there is no chance he’s going to get off the shuttle when I do. So we keep chatting and when we get to the parking lot the driver asks where I was parked and what I was driving. The guy I prayed for said “That’s right next to me,” and he got off the shuttle when I did. So now I know what I need to do, but how am I going to phrase it? That’s what I’m thinking the whole time as I put my luggage in my car as he’s still standing there chatting with me. So I told him, “I’m trying to hurry up and put my kids to bed; but I’ve got to tell you a story.” I tell him “I started praying for you when you told me a little bit about yourself. God put something on my heart – so I told him to prove it and have you get off the shuttle when I did. Well, you did and now I have to do what God has put on my heart.” I gave him a $100 bill out of my wallet and said, “Go take your wife out to eat wherever she wants to go.” Of course, he wanted nothing to do with the money, but how do you say no? I told him I consider myself a greedy man, because I know that if I give him $100, in a short time God going to give me $1000. I could tell he was astonished and speechless, so I jumped in my truck and, at this moment, I am still trying to race home to catch my kids before they fall asleep. One of the funny things is, I never caught the man’s name. I believe what happened tonight is what you might call a “divine appointment.” God knew that this man and I would meet before I parked my truck at the airport. Even before this whole trip was scheduled, God arranged for this meeting. So I’m just humbled and awe-struck at how He works in our lives. I will continue to pray for this man and I would ask that anyone else who feels led to should pray for him as well.
Air Dates & Times for 2011
Beginning August 15, 2011
Wednesday, 10:00 AM EST / 9:00 AM CST
Thursdays, 2:30 PM EST / 1:30 PM CST
Thursdays, 12:30 AM EST / 11:30 AM CST
Saturdays, 8:00 PM EST / 7:00 PM CST
The show description for this week:
“Grin & Bear It”
(Airs the week of October 24th, 2011)
On his first archery hunt for bears, Matt Hughes enjoys the scenery of Saskatchewan, Canada. After a long wait, his patience is rewarded with the opportunity to take a cinnamon bear.
The Bible verse for this week:
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. (Ephesians 4:29)
