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Matt Hughes says he chose Georges St. Pierre as his opponent for at UFC 79: Nemesis. (MMAweekly.com Photo)

Former UFC welterweight champion Matt Hughes (41-5-0) says he chose to fight fellow former champion Georges St. Pierre (14-2-0) after hearing the news that current champion Matt Serra (9-4-0) had suffered a back injury that forced him to withdraw from their headline fight at "UFC 79: Nemesis" on Dec. 29.

"The UFC had called some welterweights," Hughes says on his website. "Some said they wouldn't take the fight; but ultimately I got to choose and I chose Georges St. Pierre.

"The good thing about the fight is that I'm fighting somebody I have a lot of respect for," Hughes said during a conference call. "I was really looking forward to fighting Matt because of what he said about me. It was easy to get up and hit the bags because I disliked him. I don't have that hunger that I had before, but at least I'm fighting someone who is a good role model. People would rather see this fight than me and Matt Serra anyway. I don't know how I will beat Georges St. Pierre, but I am a true believer that it is going to happen."

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