April 24, 2003
UFC Welterweight Title Bout
Title Fight
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Predictions and betting recommendations are only available for fights after July 10, 2025
| Metric | Matt Hughes | Sean Sherk |
|---|---|---|
| Total UFC Fights | 8 | 4 |
| Experience Gap | 4 | -4 |
| Experience ELO | 1 151 | 1 088 |
| ELO Change | +32 | -32 |
Matt Hughes's 4-fight experience advantage (8 vs 4 fights) held true, but the algorithm limited the bonus to prevent over-rewarding Matt Hughes for the expected result. Had Sean Sherk pulled off the upset, his experience disadvantage would have delivered a modest upset bonus.
| Metric | Matt Hughes | Sean Sherk |
|---|---|---|
| Title Fight ? | Yes | Yes |
| Title Fight ELO | 1 259 | 1 049 |
| ELO Change | +36 | -12 |
Title fight! The championship stakes amplified the pressure. Matt Hughes captured the UFC Welterweight Title Bout with a title bonus.
| Metric | Matt Hughes | Sean Sherk |
|---|---|---|
| Fight Outcome | Decision - Unanimous | Decision - Unanimous |
| Last Round | 5 | 5 |
| Time of Finish | 5:00 | 5:00 |
| Win Type ELO | 1 288 | 1 100 |
| ELO Change | +27 | -27 |
Matt Hughes earned a clear Decision - Unanimous, receiving full decision bonuses for controlling the fight across all rounds. Of course, a finish would have yielded even greater rewards.
| Metric | Matt Hughes | Sean Sherk |
|---|---|---|
| Significant Strikes Landed | 44 | 19 |
| Significant Strikes Attempted | 88 | 39 |
| Total Strikes Landed | 96 | 144 |
| Knockdowns Scored | 0 | 0 |
| Striking ELO | 1 321 | 1 178 |
| ELO Change | +24 | -24 |
Matt Hughes controlled the striking exchanges with 96 vs 144 total strikes, 44 vs 19 significant strikes. Matt Hughes capitalized on this striking dominance.
| Metric | Matt Hughes | Sean Sherk |
|---|---|---|
| Takedowns Landed | 5 | 3 |
| Takedowns Attempted | 7 | 5 |
| Ground Control Time | 14:59 | 5:47 |
| Ground Strikes Landed | 35 | 14 |
| Ground ELO | 1 411 | 1 215 |
| ELO Change | +72 | -72 |
Matt Hughes dominated Sean Sherk on the ground with 5 vs 3 takedowns, 14:59 of control time, 35 ground strikes, earning massive ground ELO bonuses.
| Metric | Matt Hughes | Sean Sherk |
|---|---|---|
| Days Since Last Fight | 154 | 210 |
| Activity ELO | 1 181 | 1 054 |
| ELO Change | +28 | -16 |
Matt Hughes demonstrated solid activity levels with 154 days since his last fight, earning a moderate activity bonus for consistent scheduling. As the winner, Matt Hughes capitalized on this activity level, while Sean Sherk's 210-day layoff didn't factor into the scoring since only winners receive activity bonuses.
| Metric | Matt Hughes | Sean Sherk |
|---|---|---|
| Win Streak | 5 | 0 |
| Win Streak ELO | 1 148 | 1 053 |
| ELO Change | +35 | -19 |
Matt Hughes continued building serious momentum with a 5-fight win streak, earning a strong bonus as streak bonuses escalate. Sean Sherk's now at 0.
| Metric | Matt Hughes | Sean Sherk |
|---|---|---|
| Weight Class | Welterweight | Welterweight |
| Double Championship Fight | No | No |
| Basic/Category ELO | 1 112 | 1 042 |
| ELO Change | +19 | -19 |
This category provides the foundation ELO scoring without bonuses, except for exceptional multiple division champions.
Why It Matters:
Extra bonuses are awarded for title victories and undefeated streaks. These bonuses are only calculated for certain fighters with notable performances. Only UFC champions and undefeated fighters (in the UFC) can receive these bonuses.