Matt Hughes was on the verge of tears returning to the hospital where he battled for his life ... as 2 ICU nurses were honored for their care of the UFC legend.
On Tuesday, Ashley Hull and Megan Simpson of HSHS St. John's Hospital in Springfield, Illinois received the DAISY Award -- which recognizes extraordinary efforts in their field.
Hughes faced long odds of recovering from a deadly car wreck in June ... but Ashley and Megan worked tirelessly to bring him back to health after he sustained serious head trauma.