UFC 135 Results: Why Matt Hughes Should Retire After Defeat to Josh Koscheck

There comes a point in a fighter's career when he needs to call it quits.

The problem is, the great fighters never quit.

That's where fighters run into trouble at an old age, as 37-year-old UFC legend Matt Hughes has—particularly in his last two bouts.

After suffering a knockout in a fight that lasted a whole 21 seconds against B.J. Penn in November, Hughes was determined to give it another go inside the Octagon.

His next opportunity came Saturday against Josh Koscheck and it wasn't pretty.

This is not how we envision great fighters going out. After getting knocked out against Penn, Hughes was again KO'd against Koscheck on Saturday in UFC 135 with one second to spare in the first-round.

Hughes began the bout as he always has, professionally and soundly. However, it only took 4 minutes and 59 seconds for his age to catch up to him and for everyone to admit what they've known all along: Hughes is not the same fighter he once was.

It was a sad realization when you looked at Hughes and Koscheck inside that Octagon and understood Koscheck was younger, faster, a better striker and a better wrestler at this point in the two fighters' careers.

But the truth is, this is how most great fighters' careers end: swiftly, suddenly and without mercy. You expect them to be magically granted a hero's end, but the reality is that when they're 37 years old, life catches up to them.

When UFC analyst Joe Rogan interviewed Hughes after the fight on Saturday night, he was clearly emotional.

Said Hughes, via Yahoo! Sports: "I'm not retiring. I'm going to tell the UFC to put me up on [the] shelf and we'll see what happens after that."

The reality is, legendary fighters never truly know when to stop because they don't know the definition of not being good enough, even though they know that fighting at nearly 40 years of age is unrealistic.

It's fitting that Hughes' career lies in the hands of the UFC right now, because it is the only thing that can stop Hughes from continuing to fight.

Hughes should retire, not only because of his recent performance, but because too many fighters have suffered long-term consequences for staying in the ring too long.

Hopefully Hughes and the UFC make the right decision. Hughes has already given us enough.