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About Matt Bricker - RotoBaller
I've been involved in and a fan of martial arts from a very early age. Since May 2018 I've been writing for MMA outlets as well as on boxing. I also train in boxing with an amateur debut soon to come! Follow me on Twitter @LAknockoutMMA
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Matt Bricker - RotoBaller has written 2247 articles so far, you can find them below.
Viacheslav Borschev Can Earn Fifth Straight Win
After an impressive second-round knockout in October of last year on the Contender Series, Viacheslav Borshchev (6-1) put on a show in his Octagon debut, earning a first-round knockout via a liver shot in January. Now on a four-fight winning streak spanning the UFC and Titan FC, the Team AlphaMale Russian striker is the big... Read More
Marc Diakiese Hoping To Turn Things Around
Looking to avoid a three-fight losing streak, dangerous British striker Marc Diakiese (14-5) will take to Saturday night's main card to battle Viacheslav Borschlev. Seven of his 14 career wins have come by the finish, showing that Diakiese has the ability to end a contest or take it the distance and still come out victorious.... Read More
Alexander Volkov Has Rough Night In London
It was not the bout Alexander Volkov needed to get back on track, as he suffered a first-round submission loss to Tom Aspinall in London on Saturday night's main event. In 3:45 of action, Volkov only landed 13 significant strikes but absorbed 35 total strikes. In a battle of two heavy hitters, it came down... Read More
Tom Aspinall Locks In Submission For Big Main-Event Victory
Known for his devastating power, Tom Aspinall gave the home nation something different on Saturday by earning a first-round submission in the night's main event. In a battle of two strikers, we normally see one of them prevail by a different tactic, and that's exactly how Aspinall pulled off the victory against Alexander Volkov. In... Read More
Dan Hooker's Struggles Continue With First-Round Loss
The struggles continued for the Hangman as Dan Hooker suffered a first-round TKO loss to Arnold Allen on Saturday in London. Hooker has lost four of his last five bouts, with three coming by a finish. Overall, the drop to featherweight might serve him some good, but Allen is a top-five talent and should eventually... Read More
Arnold Allen Earns First-Round Finish Saturday In London
The punches came in bunches for rising star Arnold Allen, who earned a first-round finish over Dan Hooker, at just 2:33 into the contest on Saturday. Allen racked up 49 significant strikes (nearly 25 per minute) in Saturday's contest. With the win, Allen moves to 18-1 in his career and a perfect 9-0 in the... Read More
Paddy Pimblett Puts On A Show
Less than one round is all it took England's Paddy Pimblett to score a first-round submission victory over Kazula Vargas at London's UFC event on Saturday. Though he only tallied three significant strikes, Pimblett was able to score a takedown and work his way to a rear-naked-choke victory. The former Cage Warriors champion is now... Read More
Takashi Sato Takes Decision Loss In London
Takashi Sato was greatly out-struck by Gunnar Nelson in 15 minutes of action Saturday night in London, and Sato now has lost three of his last four fights. Sato landed 16 total strikes compared to Nelson's 140. He also spent over 8:00 in the control of Nelson, keeping Sato from really being able to execute... Read More
Gunnar Nelson Shines In Return Saturday In London
You wouldn't have been able to tell that it had been 30 months since we last saw Gunnar Nelson in the Octagon based off of his dominant performance Saturday in London against Takashi Sato. In 15 minutes of action, Nelson landed 44 significant strikes and out-landed Sato in overall strikes by landing 124 more (140... Read More
Luana Carolina Has Her Night Ended In London
Things could not have gone more wrong for Luana Carolina, who suffered a devastating spinning back elbow, to take a third-round knockout loss at the hands of Molly McCann on Saturday in London. Carolina started to pick it up in the third round while McCann began to run out of steam, but out of nowhere,... Read More
Molly McCann Earns Devastating Knockout Saturday
In a spectacular finish for the home crowd, Molly McCann landed a perfect spinning back elbow to cleanly knock out Luana Carolina in the third round of their matchup Saturday in London. In 11:52 of action, McCann out-struck Carolina by landing 85 significant strikes (99 total strikes), while landing both of her takedown tries. After... Read More
Jai Herbert Unable To Score Much-Needed Win Saturday
The first round looked to be in the bag for Jai Herbert, but after eating a big right hand in the second round, the contest was called to a finish on Saturday. In 6:07 of action, Herbert out-struck Ilia Topuria with 22 significant strikes (50 total strikes). With the loss, Herbert has now lost three... Read More
Ilia Topuria Scores Big Knockout On Saturday
Ilia Topuria walked onto enemy turf and walked out with a huge second-round knockout victory on Saturday. 1:07 into the second round, Topuria landed a big right hand that floored Jai Herbert. In 6:07 of total action, Topuria landed 20 significant strikes (31 total strikes.) With the win, Topuria improves to 12-0, with 11 of... Read More
Tom Aspinall Looking To Continue His Finishing Streak
A perfect 4-0 in the UFC with four finishes, Tom Aspinall (11-2) will fight in the main event on London's card on Saturday against a dangerous veteran in Alexander Volkov. The Liverpool native has finished all 11 of his career wins, with 10 of those coming in the first round of action. Volkov just needs... Read More
Alexander Volkov Hoping He Can Steal The Show
With the heavyweights set for London's main-event spotlight, Alexander Volkov (34-9) can earn his fourth victory in five contests if he defeats Tom Aspinall on Saturday. A seasoned veteran, 25 of his 34 career wins have come via the finish, with 22 of those coming by knockout/TKO. DraftKings sees Drago as the underdog with a... Read More
Dan Hooker Can Get On Track With A Win
Dan Hooker (21-11) can easily get back on track with a co-main-event win in London against Arnold Allen on Saturday. Though Hooker has lost three of his last four fights, they have been against the very top of the lightweight division. If Hooker's power translates at the lower weight class, he could pose a huge... Read More
Arnold Allen Set To Shine On Huge Stage In London
Proving to be the real deal since joining the UFC in 2015, Arnold Allen (17-1) has yet to lose in the Octagon, sporting an 8-0 record with his last win coming in April of last year over rising star Sodiq Yusuff. The English native is a grinding-style fighter, with six of his UFC wins coming... Read More
Rodrigo Vargas Set For Massive Uphill Challenge
Set for his fourth Octagon appearance, Rodrigo Vargas (12-4) will meet his biggest task to date when he takes on fan-favorite Paddy Pimblett in England this weekend. 1-2 in the UFC and coming off of his first Octagon win, it has been 11 months since Vargas last set foot in the Octagon. A striker and... Read More
Paddy Pimblett Set For Big Showing Saturday
Crowd favorite Paddy Pimblett (17-3) will make his return to the Octagon in London, where he is set to defend his home turf against Rodrigo Vargas on Saturday. Pimblett came to the UFC scene strong by winning his highly anticipated debut via first-round knockout against Luigi Vendramini in September of last year. A big finisher,... Read More
Takashi Sato Steps Into Late-Notice Battle In London
Stepping in on late notice, Takashi Sato (16-4) will face a returning Gunnar Nelson on Saturday in London. With a few weeks to prepare, the veteran is 2-2 in the UFC and is looking to rebound from a submission loss in November of 2020. A dangerous finisher as well, 13 of Sato's 16 career wins... Read More
Gunnar Nelson Makes Long-Awaited Return Saturday
It has been almost 30 months since we have seen the dangerous mat finisher in Gunnar Nelson (17-5-1) in action. He is set to face off with Takashi Sato on Saturday in London. A very dangerous jiu-jitsu ace, 13 of Nelson's 17 career wins have come by submission. Despite the layoff, DraftKings sees Gunni as... Read More
Luana Carolina Hopes To Invade Enemy Territory
On a nice run since joining the UFC in 2018 after a Contender Series win, Luana Carolina (8-2) will travel into enemy territory Saturday to face Molly McCann in London. Since joining the UFC, Carolina has tallied a record of 3-1, with her last two bouts ending in decision nods in her favor. Similar to... Read More
Molly McCann Hoping Advantage Pays Off Saturday
There is no doubt that Molly McCann (11-4) will be one of the crowd's favorites Saturday when she battles Luana Carolina. The Liverpool native won her first UFC bout in September of last year after dropping her first two UFC bouts. With the majority of her bouts going the full 15 minutes, seven of her... Read More
Ilia Topuria Looking To Stay Perfect Saturday Night
Still undefeated in his MMA career and 3-0 in the UFC, Ilia Topuria (11-0) will step in for Mike Davis while looking to continue his run on Saturday. Both of Topuria's last two victories have come in the form of first-round knockouts. Proving to be just as dangerous on his feet as on the mat,... Read More
Jai Herbert Hoping For Homecoming Victory Saturday
Coming off of a big win over a tough opponent, Jai Herbert (1-2) will look for back-to-back wins when he opens up the main card of Saturday's card in London. A very dangerous finisher, 10 of his 11 wins have come via the finish, with nine of those coming by knockout/TKO. Winning his debut should... Read More
Thiago Santos Unable To Get Back On A Roll
Giving his opponent everything he could handle in Saturday night's main event, Thiago Santos has now lost four of his last five fights after Saturday's decision loss to Magomed Ankalaev. Through 25 minutes of action, Santos tallied 60 significant strikes (81 total strikes). Though he's on a bit of a skid, the losses have come... Read More
Magomed Ankalaev Secures Main-Event Victory
Improving his win streak to eight fights, Magomed Ankalaev earned a close victory in Saturday night's main event by defeating Thiago Santos via unanimous decision (46-49, 46-49, 47-48). In 25 minutes of action, Ankalaev tallied 78 significant strikes (114 total strikes) and landed one of his two takedown tries on the night. With a win... Read More
Marlon Moraes Suffers First-Round TKO Loss In Co-Main Event
It has been a rough fall from the top for Marlon Moraes, who has now lost four fights in a row and five of his last six after Saturday's first-round TKO loss to Yadong Song in the co-main event. The scary part is all four of those losses have been by knockout/TKO. That can take... Read More
Yadong Song Impresses In TKO Stoppage
With the right hand finding its mark, Yadong Song showcased well in Saturday night's co-main event by earning a first-round TKO stoppage against former title contender Marlon Moraes. With the right hand finding its spot early, a big right hand just a few minutes into the contest floored Moraes and eventually led to a stoppage... Read More
Alex Caceres Unable To Earn Sixth Straight Win Saturday
Unable to extend his winning streak to six fights, Alex Caceres gave it a valiant effort but dropped a unanimous decision to Sodiq Yusuff on Saturday. Yusuff used leg kicks to keep Caceres at bay and prevent him from implementing any kind of game plan. Through 15 minutes of action, Caceres collected 66 significant strikes,... Read More
