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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.
Dan Hooker Drops Decision In Potential Fight Of The Year
Though coming out on the losing end of a 48-47, 48-47, 48-46 decision loss to Dustin Poirier, Dan Hooker showed that he could compete on the biggest of stages. It appeared Hooker took the first couple of rounds, and the bout was tied two rounds apiece heading into the fifth. Poirier just had more gas... Read More
Dustin Poirier Tops Dan Hooker In Fight Of The Year Nominee
Anytime you see Dustin Poirier on the marquee, you can expect fireworks. This fight did not disappoint, as Poirier main evented his sixth bout in a row. The No. 3-ranked lightweight had his hands full with the No. 5-ranked and very hungry Dan Hooker. As you would expect, Poirier used his exceptional boxing skills to... Read More
Mickey Gall Outpointed In Bout With Mike Perry
Mickey Gall fell to 2-2 in his last four bouts, dropping a 29-28 decision to Mike Perry. Gall's counter-striking game was on point this bout, causing a cut over Perry's eye in the first round. Rolling into the second round, Gall continued to counter Perry strikes. Eventually, the aggressive nature of Perry became too much... Read More
Mike Perry Delivers In Co-Main Event Spot
For all the flack Mike Perry caught for saying his girlfriend would be his only cornerman, he came out in his co-main event spotlight and still performed brilliantly. As expected, Perry pushed the pace and applied pressure on Mickey Gall. Near the end of the round, Perry scored a huge takedown on Gall. Near the... Read More
Gian Villante Drops Heavyweight Debut
Gian Villante's heavyweight debut was almost a success. He had Maurice Greene reeling in the third round but was caught in an arm triangle and was forced to tap. Villante, who has been a pro since 2009, decided it was time to make a move up to heavyweight. At 34 years old in the heavyweight... Read More
Maurice Greene Locks In Modified Choke For The Win
Maurice Greene (9-4) is no stranger to ending a man's night by submission. After Saturday night's finish, Greene has now scored submissions in five of his nine victories. Greene, the former GLORY kickboxer, used his kicks in the first round to keep Villante at bay, keeping the wrestler away. The second round was more Greene,... Read More
Kyle Daukaus Takes The Loss But Still Impresses
Kyle Daukaus had a tough task taking on an opponent like Brendan Allen in his UFC debut. Daukaus entered the bout undefeated at 9-0 with eight submission finishes. Daukaus looked good in the first round on his feet exchanging with Allen. Before the bout went to the mat, Daukaus ate a huge knee, which opened... Read More
Brendan Allen Continues To Soar Up Middleweight Ranks
Brendan Allen went through a three-round war with previously undefeated prospect Kyle Daukaus. Both fighters looked battle-ready as the fight began. Allen landed a huge knee, which put him in the driver's seat. The two took turns as far as being in control on the mat. The second round was similar to the first, with... Read More
Late-Notice Fight Doesn't Pay Off For Jason Witt
When the UFC calls, you answer, regardless if it's Fight Week. Jason Witt did just that and paid the price. Takashi Sato delivered a jab down the middle, followed up with a cross that floored Witt. Sato pounced on top, and Witt was unable to recover, leading to the TKO loss. The Kansas City native... Read More
Sean Woodson Suffers First Career Loss Saturday Night
Sean Woodson headed into UFC Fight Night as the biggest favorite on the card. Throughout the first couple of rounds, he looked to be living up to that title. He did a great job of using his almost four-inch reach advantage to jab up Julian Erosa. In the third round, Woodson actually dropped Erosa but... Read More
Underdog Julian Erosa Earns Big Submission Win
Julian Erosa, who was bounced from the UFC following an 0-3 run, returned in impressive fashion, scoring a D'Arce-choke victory over the undefeated Sean Woodson. The biggest underdog on the card, Erosa, who had nearly four times as many pro fights as Woodson, used that experience to pull off the huge win. Almost even more... Read More
Luis Pena Submits In Third Round On Saturday In Vegas
Luis Pena entered the third round with Khama Worthy, probably tied one round apiece. Pena's ground game was solid, staying busy with a few close submission attempts. Pena looked solid but was caught in a guillotine choke while shooting in for a takedown in the third round. 4-3 in the UFC now, Pena needs to... Read More
Khama Worthy Continues To Shine With Another Upset Victory
Khama Worthy is quickly becoming a household name in the UFC. After taking the UFC by storm with a knockout victory in his debut, Worthy was faced with a tough task against Luis Pena. Worthy showed that he is more than just a knockout fighter, landing a series of combinations and mixing in kicks during... Read More
Philipe Lins Continues UFC Losing Streak
Philipe Lins' tenure in the UFC is off to a rocky start. Dropping a unanimous decision in May, Lins entered this bout with Tanner Boser wanting to make a statement. Boser used his stick-and-move technique before unleashing a huge right hand, ending Lins' night in the first round. His next bout will be an absolute... Read More
Tanner Boser Scores Impressive Knockout
Tanner Boser continues to show why he was a big-time signing for the UFC's heavyweight division. Taking on the former PFL heavyweight champion, this was Boser's biggest task to date. Known for his touch-and-go pattern of striking, Boser let loose with a massive right hand in the first round, which led to Lins being floored.... Read More
Jinh Yu Frey Loses Heartbreaking Debut
The former Invicta FC Atomweight Champion, Jinh Yu Frey, journeyed up to the strawweight division, but her UFC debut did not go as planned. Frey looked good in the first round, getting the better of exchanges with Kay Hansen. In the second round, Frey started to give up takedowns to Hansen. Frey is a very... Read More
Kay Hansen Impresses In UFC Debut
Kay Hansen, the youngest female on the UFC roster, scored an impressive armbar submission over Jinh Yu Frey. Hansen showed her strong will by getting outplayed in the first round but finally got to imply her ground game in the second. Going into the third round tied up, Hansen was able to score a huge... Read More
Jordan Griffin Fizzles Out And Drops Unanimous Decision
Coming out the gate with a strong first round, Jordan Griffin could not keep it up to take the unanimous decision over Youssef Zalal. Griffin took a hard body shot in the second round that took the air out of him. His ground was working well, almost landing takedowns at will on Zalal. Aside from... Read More
Youssef Zalal Impresses Again
Youssef Zalal improved to 2-0 in the UFC with another impressive unanimous-decision victory. Zalal's striking picked up as the bout went on. Jordan Griffin looked good in the first round, but he appeared to tire as Zalal seemed to pick up the pace. Zalal landed a big body shot, which obviously hurt Griffin in the... Read More
Can Dan Hooker Ascend To The Top Of Lightweight Division?
Dan Hooker (20-8) will look to earn his biggest win to date, a victory over former lightweight champion Dustin Poirier. Hooker has won three in a row and seven of his last eight. Riding in on a high note, Hooker is coming off of a hard-fought split-decision victory over Paul Felder in February. He will... Read More
Dustin Poirier Looking To Get Back Into Title Picture
Dustin Poirier (25-6) has beaten the whose who of the lightweight division for the last couple of years. The Diamond is currently tied for 10th on the UFC's all-time wins list. He is also 10th all time (23 behind Georges St. Pierre) on the UFC's total significant-strikes list. The southpaw striker has slick boxing and... Read More
Mike Perry Hoping For Career Turnaround
Never one to shy away from controversy, Mike Perry (13-6) told ESPN's Ariel Helwani that the only person who will be in his corner this weekend will be his girlfriend. He's hoping it will bring "peace and quiet" to the corner. A ferocious striker, 11 of his 13 victories are by way of knockout. His... Read More
Mickey Gall Looking For Huge Profile Win
Mickey Gall (6-2) takes a big step up in competition as he takes on Mike "Platinum" Perry. Still early in his professional career, the majority of his bouts have been under the UFC banner. Rebounding from his TKO loss to veteran Diego Sanchez, Gall scored a unanimous-decision victory over Salim Touahri in August of 2018.... Read More
Undefeated Prospect Kyle Daukaus Makes UFC Debut
Twenty-seven-year-old Philadelphia native Kyle Daukaus (9-0) makes his UFC debut this Saturday against a tough opponent in Brendan Allen. Daukaus, like Allen, typically finishes bouts. Eight of his nine victories are by way of finish, and submissions at that. Very dangerous on the ground, five of those eight submissions are by D'Arce choke, while the... Read More
Louisiana's Brendan Allen Looks To Continue Trending Up
Brendan Allen (14-3) has been lights-out since his victory on the Contender Series. Thus far, he's defeated talented fighters in Kevin Holland (via submission) and Tom Breese (via TKO.) Not one to let the judges make the decision, 13 of his 14 victories have come by finish. Allen has a strong takedown defense percentage of... Read More
Gian Villante Moves Up To Heavyweight
Gian Villante (17-11) will take on his first bout in his new home of the heavyweight division. Villante has been on the big stage for many years now, fighting with the UFC since 2013. The 6-foot-2 strong wrestler was a two-sport athlete while at Hofstra University. Despite the wrestling pedigree, 10 of Villante's 12 finishes... Read More
Maurice Greene Looking To Sew Up Another Victory
The Crochet Boss Maurice Greene (8-4) will look to get back to his winning ways after dropping two in a row. Greene is a dangerous striker with GLORY kickboxing experience. The 6-foot-7 Greene has a six-inch reach over his opponent with an 82-inch reach overall. He will also have almost a three-inch leg reach advantage... Read More
Julian Erosa Hoping To Make Good On Second Chance
After going 0-3 in the UFC, Julian Erosa (23-8) was released. He got back on track and earned a first-round submission in February of 2020. That submission gave Erosa his 20th finish out of 23 victories. Erosa has balanced finishing skills with half his finishes by knockout and the other half by submission. He has... Read More
Undefeated Sean Woodson Back In Action
St. Louis' own, Sean Woodson (7-0), will make his second UFC appearance after defeating Kyle Bochniak in his debut in October of 2019. Woodson was a replacement about two and a half weeks ago to face Kyle Nelson. Nelson had visa issues and was replaced this week by Julian Erosa. Woodson told Michael DeSantis of... Read More
Luis Pena Facing Tough Test Saturday
Luis Pena (8-2) faces a tough test in Khama Worthy, but if anyone is built to defeat Worthy in the UFC, Pena may be the man. Pena has an aggressive style and can draw out the matchup. Pena averages 12:28 minutes per bout. His only two losses of his professional career are in the UFC,... Read More
