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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.
Derrick Lewis Searching For Another Huge Win Saturday
Three of Derrick Lewis' (26-8) last four bouts have ended with him earning a knockout win, and he will look for another impressive win in the co-main event of UFC 271 on Saturday. With the opportunity to return back to the title scene, Lewis will face Tai Tuivasa. It's no secret that Lewis' key to... Read More
Derek Brunson Can Earn His Sixth Straight Win At UFC 271
On a roll since his loss in November of 2018 to the current champion, Derek Brunson (23-7) will face a dangerous striker in Jared Cannonier on Saturday night at UFC 271. Brunson competed twice in 2021, earning victories over top-rated prospects Kevin Holland and Darren Till. With a much higher takedown rate than his opponent,... Read More
Jared Cannonier Faces Very Tough Opponent Saturday
Ready to earn his way to the top of the middleweight division, Jared Cannonier (14-5) will face a dangerous veteran in Derek Brunson on Saturday at UFC 271. Cannonier is a veteran in the UFC from the heavyweight division all the way down to the middleweight division. Eleven of Cannonier's 14 career wins have come... Read More
Marcelo Rojo Looking For His First UFC Victory
Taking a third-round TKO loss in his UFC debut, long-time Combate veteran Marcelo Rojo (16-7) will look for his first UFC victory when he takes on Kyler Phillips on the main card of UFC 271 this Saturday. With 74 significant strikes in his UFC debut, Rojo would love to improve that number when he takes... Read More
Kyler Phillips Looking For Victory No. 10
After starting out 3-0 in the UFC, Kyler Phillips (9-2) suffered his first UFC defeat back in July of last year and will enter UFC 271 on Saturday hoping to get back on track. With the majority of his wins coming by finish, six of his nine professional wins have come by knockout/TKO or submission.... Read More
Bobby Green Hoping For Back-To-Back Wins
A veteran of the UFC since 2013, Bobby Green (28-12-1) will open the main card of UFC 271 against Nasrat Haqparast on Saturday night. With a wealth of experience, the 35-year-old is set to make his 41st professional appearance and is hoping to earn back-to-back wins after collecting a first-round knockout back in November of... Read More
Nasrat Haqparast Set To Open UFC 271 On Saturday
Coming off of a tough one-sided defeat in his last Octagon outing, Nasrat Haqparast (13-4) will look for his sixth UFC victory when he opens up the main card of UFC 271 on Saturday night against Bobby Green. A big-time striker, nine of Haqparast's 13 career wins have come by knockout/TKO, though only one of... Read More
Jack Hermansson Takes Split-Decision Loss Saturday
Since a win in April of 2019 against Jacare Souza, Jack Hermansson has alternated wins and losses, and that streak continued on Saturday night when he took the loss in the main event against Sean Strickland. Hermansson's takedown game was not on point Saturday, as he had all eight of his takedown tries stuffed by... Read More
Sean Strickland Continues To Impress With Main-Event Victory
It has been quite the return to action for Sean Strickland, who has gone 5-0 since his two-year layoff from 2018 to 2020. In Saturday's main event, Strickland took the split-decision win (46-49, 48-47, 46-49) over Jack Hermansson. In 25 minutes of action, Strickland landed 153 significant strikes (161 total strikes) and stuffed all eight... Read More
Punahele Soriano Loses Second Straight Bout
After scoring two impressive victories upon entering the UFC, Punahele Soriano has now lost his last two contests, including his split decision in Saturday's fight against Nick Maximov. In 15 minutes of action, Soriano was able to rack up 45 significant strikes (74 total strikes), actually out-striking Maximov statistically. The difference came in the ground... Read More
Nick Maximov Remains Undefeated After Split-Decision Win
Remaining undefeated in the UFC, Nick Maximov used his ground game and wrestling skills to pull out a split decision on Saturday. In 15 minutes of action, Maximov collected 29 significant strikes (60 total strikes) but really dominated in the control-time department, controlling Soriano for 8:45 of the contest. A rising star in the middleweight... Read More
Carlston Harris' Night Ended In First Round Via TKO
Carlston Harris' bid for three straight wins in the UFC came to a crash on Saturday night as he fell to Shavkat Rakhmonov via first-round knockout on the main card of action. Near the end of the first round, Harris took a spinning head kick that dropped him to the mat. Rakhmonov was able to... Read More
Shavkat Rakhmonov Earns Third Straight Finish On Saturday
Less than one round of action is all it took for young rising star Shavkat Rakhmonov to go 15-for-15 in his professional career. A big spin kick to the head of Carlston Harris dropped him, leading to a flurry of strikes from Rakhmonov to end the contest 4:10 into the first round. In the one... Read More
Sam Alvey Unable To Break Winless Streak
Things continue to go downhill for the aging Sam Alvey, who was submitted in the second round of his contest on Saturday against Brendan Allen. Alvey is now winless in his last eight contests, with seven of those being losses and one a draw. In 7:10 of action, Alvey collected 24 significant strikes but absorbed... Read More
Brendan Allen Secures Submission Victory On Saturday
Stepping in on less than a week's notice, Louisiana native Brendan Allen went up in weight class to meet Sam Alvey in a main-card showdown on Saturday night. Wanting to avenge his loss to end 2021, Allen did just that to secure a second-round submission against the declining Alvey. With the win, Allen has now... Read More
Tresean Gore Hits A Roadblock In Debut
With the TUF tournament championship canceled due to injury, the matchup finally came to be, but for Tresean Gore, it did not go as planned on Saturday. Suffering the first loss of his professional career, Gore was out-struck and landed only 57 significant strikes (86 total strikes) compared to Bryan Battle's 112 significant strikes. The... Read More
Bryan Battle Earns Decision Win Saturday
Still undefeated since his run on TUF, Bryan Battle earned a unanimous-decision victory over Tresean Gore (28-29, 28-29, 28-29) on Saturday to move to 8-1 in his professional career. Battle dominated on the stat sheet, collecting 112 significant strikes (119 total strikes) compared to Gore's 57 significant strikes. The takedowns were not quite working for... Read More
Steven Peterson Unable To Get The Victory After Missing Weight
Missing weight was the first problem for Steven Peterson, who would go on to drop a split decision to Julian Erosa in the main-card opener on Saturday night. The stat columns were close, with Peterson landing 148 significant strikes (174 total strikes), but he was unable to land any takedowns. Erosa landed three of his... Read More
Julian Erosa Does Enough To Get Split-Decision Nod
On a main card full of close bouts, Julian Erosa pulled out the first of three split-decision victories on Saturday night. Through 15 minutes of action, Erosa tallied 155 significant strikes (163 total strikes) and landed three of his five takedown tries. With the two veterans going back and forth statistically, it was the ground... Read More
Sean Strickland Looking For Sixth Straight Victory
Currently on a five-fight winning streak, Sean Strickland (24-3) has been nothing short of impressive after a two-year layoff from October of 2018 to October of 2020. One of those wins was against streaking middleweight contender Brendan Allen as well. 2021 saw Strickland earn decision wins over tough opponents Krzysztof Jotko and Uriah Hall. Ten... Read More
Jack Hermansson Hoping To Get Back Into Title Talks
Winning his lone fight from last year, Swedish-born fighter Jack Hermansson (22-6) is set to fight in the main event on Saturday night to see if he can propel himself back into the middleweight championship talks. Hermansson has been in the Octagon with the division's best, and a main-event win over a veteran like Sean... Read More
Nick Maximov Set For Co-Main-Event Spot In Second UFC Bout
Looking to build momentum for a solid UFC run, Nick Maximov (7-0) will make his second appearance in the Octagon in a co-main-event spot on Saturday when he faces Punahele Soriano, who is rebounding from his first career loss. The dangerous ground fighter has won five of his seven career bouts with finishes, with three... Read More
Punahele Soriano Looking To Rebound Saturday
Coming off of a loss, Punahele Soriano (8-1) has the chance to rebound in a big way and is set to compete in Saturday night's co-main event against Nick Maximov. Suffering his first loss to Brendan Allen in July of last year, Soriano will make his return to action against an undefeated dangerous ground fighter... Read More
Carlston Harris Set For Potential Fight Of The Night
In a bout that could easily take fight-of-the-night honors, Carlston Harris (17-4) will clash with fellow welterweight rising star Shavkat Rakhmonov on Saturday's main card. Undefeated in the Octagon (2-0), both of Harris' victories have come via first-round finishes. Facing a fellow fighter who has always earned finishes, Harris has also earned finishes in 10... Read More
Shavkat Rakhmonov Has The Potential To Be A Top-Tier Fighter
Kazakhstan's Shavkat Rakhmonov (14-0) will take his undefeated record into the Octagon for the third time when he faces Carlston Harris on Saturday night. Cruising through the European MMA scene, Rakhmonov has finished both of his bouts in the UFC, both by submission. The true definition of a finisher, all 14 of his career wins... Read More
Sam Alvey Hopes To Break Lengthy Losing Streak Saturday
The last couple of years have been tough on the 35-year-old Sam Alvey (33-16-1), who has been winless since 2018, spanning seven bouts. With 19 of his 33 career wins coming by knockout/TKO, Alvey last had one of his knockout wins in February of 2018. Able to get to a decision, facing a foe like... Read More
Brendan Allen Takes Late-Notice Fight
Stepping in on five days notice and moving up a weight class, Brendan Allen (17-5) will battle Sam Alvey on Saturday's main card of action. Going 2-2 in his last four Octagon appearances, Allen suffered a hand injury in his last outing and was placed on medical suspension. After getting his suspension overturned, Allen was... Read More
Tresean Gore Will Showcase His Talents In UFC Debut
Getting a shot on the UFC stage very early in his career, Tresean Gore (3-0) will make his debut in his fourth professional bout on Saturday. Gore earned a couple of victories on the 28th season of TUF, earning two victories, including a second-round knockout of Gilbert Urbina in May of last year. DraftKings sees... Read More
Bryan Battle Looking To Finish On The Big Stage
After a successful run on TUF 29, Bryan Battle (6-1) earned a victory in his Octagon debut with a second-round submission in August of last year. Showing he can earn a finish on the big stage, Battle has finished five of his six victories with a submission. DraftKings sees Battle as the very slight underdog... Read More
Steven Peterson Set For Battle With Julian Erosa
After dropping three of his first four bouts in the UFC, Steven Peterson (19-9) has turned it around by winning his last two bouts. With a win against Julian Erosa on Saturday, Peterson can score his first three-fight winning streak since 2015/2016. A finisher like his opponent, Peterson has finished 13 of his 19 victories... Read More
