My guilty pleasure that my wife and I have found a ton of interest in recently has been the UFC: Ultimate Fighting Championship. It was a few years back on the reality show The Ultimate Fighter that I recognized one of the fighters on the show as a resident from my time at LSU when I was an RA for the freshman dorm (that’s a funny story in itself!) plus our next door neighbors participate in local fights here in Baton Rouge.
Well the new season has started back up again with one of my favorite fighters: Matt Hughes as a coach. You can imagine my surprise as here it is episode 2 and he’s passing out NIV Study Bibles to the contestants on his team and instructs them that today before practice, he’d like them to read the book of Esther! He tells them that it’s not required but he’d like them to read it if they would and think about the book and who they imagine he is in the story! My wife and I looked at one another dumbfounded and couldn’t believe what was going on!! Taking a trip over to Matt Hughes.com and his top banner is completed by Philippians 4:13:
Right there on the front page is a journal from Matt even addressing his handing out of Bibles to his team. In all of the previous seasons watching TUF, I haven’t seen anything like it. When the contestants sign up they’re pretty much taken out of the ‘real world’ for the duration of the show. No cell phones, no email, no internet, no newspapers, no TVs, no contacting family/friends, and here’s a coach that thinks he might have a chance with these men and is able to get them all a Bible to have! Crazy.
Talk about your 180!! Matt’s bio tells a remarkable account of “the greatest change” that took place in his life. Him finding a church home, helping out on a youth mission trip, and surrendering his life to Jesus Christ. Think what you may of the ’sport’ of Ultimate Fighting but its encouraging to see at least one man amidst the violence, scantily clad women, foul language, egos, money chasing, and more actually trying to do something for a purpose greater than himself. I’m not saying Matt Hughes is a golden boy trophy for the Christian community. It’s not even about that. It’s simply encouraging, especially after the backlash of ridicule that followed by the other coach on Hughes’ decision and behavior.
I do hope he lays a righteous stomping on Matt Serra at the seasons end 
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tagged: Bibles, Conner Byrd, Esther, Manly Men, Matt Hughes, Sports, UFC, Witnessing, Worshipcity
[...] testimony. It’s beautiful and inspiring! Completely hitting the nail on the head of the new blog I’ve recently made a ton of new friends with: AC180! Totally unexpected from someone who [...]
Like you said it really doesn’t matter where he is in the world, it’s that he is doing things that even Christians in “normal” settings may never do. It is inspiring. Great story!
Worshipcity – Great post! I have not watched UFC at all. I think one of our other contributors here (Clay) has a former teammate in that too. Thank you for bringing this to our attention as well. Great stuff. What a testimony to both his willingness to be used and his ability to see the impact that he can make on their lives. May we all be so bold!
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more to come
Hughes asked his team to study the Bible, then asked, ‘Who do you think I am in this story?’
Humility is a Christian virtue.
AE, I’m not quite sure I understand your comment: Humility is a Christian virtue? I agree with you that humility is a something to aspire to but I’m getting the assumption your thinking Hughes was not being humble or virtuous in his motives?
[...] Aaron wrote an interesting post today!.Here’s a quick excerptAE, I’m not quite sure I understand your comment: Humility is a Christian virtue? I agree with you that humility is a something to aspire to but I’m getting the assumption your thinking Hughes was not being humble or virtuous in his … [...]