VICE TV’s upcoming episode of ‘Dark Side of the Cage’ presents Matt Hughes’ story as one of triumph over tragedy, but his own autobiography and recent allegations paint a far more disturbing picture of the former UFC champion.
While the documentary focuses on Hughes’ legendary career and his 2017 near-fatal accident when a train collided with his truck, it omits the darker aspects of his character that he himself proudly documented in his autobiography “Made in America.”
In his own words, in his book, Hughes describes disturbing childhood behavior, including animal cruelty. Perhaps most disturbingly, he details an incident where he and his brother mutilated live piglets for entertainment, describing how he “slits its stomach open as it screams wildly to freak his friend out.”
The book also reveals troubling family dynamics, including a physical altercation with his father after a simple scolding about motorcycle safety. Hughes recounts how he and his brother later excluded their father from family photos at Mark’s wedding.
His treatment of others shows a pattern of concerning behavior. He admits to bullying new gym members alongside Jens Pulver, particularly targeting Tim Sylvia. When Sylvia later approached Hughes to resolve their issues, Hughes took pride in crushing Sylvia’s attempt at reconciliation, despite Sylvia expressing that Hughes was “one of his heroes.”
More recently, in 2019, Hughes faced serious domestic abuse allegations from his wife Audra and his brother’s family. A judge granted Audra a restraining order, requiring Hughes to stay 500 feet away from her and their children. His brother Mark accused him of assaulting Mark’s teenage son over a tractor dispute.
Hughes denied these allegations in a social media statement, attributing changes in his behavior to his 2017 brain injury: “Since my train accident in June of 2017, my life has been changed forever. Some days have been absolute hell… NEVER, NEVER, NEVER would I, or have I, physically hurt those who I care about most.”
As VICE prepares to air their documentary, these omitted details provide crucial context for understanding the complete story of Matt Hughes – not just as a legendary fighter, but as someone whose own words and actions have raised serious concerns about his character and behavior throughout his life.
