"I asked for [Matt Hughes] immediately after the Renzo [Gracie] fight [at UFC 112]. It's been in the works, and for my part, I signed the bout agreement and I'm looking forward to it. It's definitely a good angle. It's a good way of promoting the fight. For me, I'm just a competitive guy. Actually, Matt Hughes beat me like ten years ago in a grappling match. Am I going to be motivated because he beat Renzo? Absolutely. I was there in the corner, you know, I want that win. For me and for the team. But other than that, it's just competition."
Ricardo Almeida tells the gang at Versus.com that he's eager to face Matt Hughes in their welterweight showdown at the upcoming UFC 117 event planned for Aug. 7 at the Oracle Arena in Oakland, California. "Cachorrao" is the winner of three straight, including a submission win over Matt Brown at UFC 111: "St. Pierre vs. Hardy" last March. His celebration was short lived however, as his Master and longtime friend Renzo Gracie was stopped by the flinty farmboy at UFC 112: "Invincible" just a month later. Is Almeida the last chance for Gracie Jiu-Jitsu to exact revenge on Matt Hughes? Or will the "Big Dog" get housebroken in Oakland?
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