Fight Matrix

Fit Together: Combining Dog Ownership and MMA Workouts

Posted on February 13, 2024 by A. J. Riot

In the dynamic world of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), athletes constantly seek innovative methods to elevate their conditioning, agility, and mental fortitude. Simultaneously, dog ownership brings its own set of physical and emotional rewards, fostering a unique companionship that thrives on activity and engagement. Merging these two realms opens a new frontier in fitness and training, where the discipline and intensity of MMA workouts synergize with the spirited vitality of our canine companions. This article delves into the integration of dog ownership with MMA training routines, offering a fresh perspective on achieving peak physical condition and mental resilience.

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Youngest and Oldest UFC Champions

Posted on February 13, 2024 by Oleg

Recently, the following statistic has been popping up across MMA forums and message boards: “In all history of UFC, only twice has a fighter 35 or older won a title match at welterweight or below”. The two title wins by the 35+ year old at lighter weight classes both belong to Tyron Woodley, who defended his title against Damien Maia and Darren Till at 35 & 36 years old, respectively.

Many fans have been using this statistic to predict doom for featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski, in his UFC 298 title defense against Ilia Topuria. The 35-year-old Volkanovski is coming off a head kick knockout at the hands of lightweight champion Islam Makhachev, adding fuel to the fire behind his detractors. Will father time once again remain undefeated, or will Volkanovski defy the MMA-Math and successfully defend his title, joining Woodley in the over-35 champion club? We will find out this coming weekend. In the meanwhile, here’s a compilation of the youngest and oldest UFC champions through history of the organization:

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Featured Upcoming Bouts (Outside of UFC)

Thursday, December 31st 2026: Rizin FF Super Rizin 6: Shiwasu no Owarinagoya Gekokujo Matsuri

[#1 W105] Natalia Kuziutina

[#4 W105] Saori Oshima

Last Fight Date: 9/10/2026 [Rizin Fighting Federation]
Last Opponent: [#18 W105] Rena Kubota
Last 5: W W W W W

Last Fight Date: 7/18/2026 [Rizin Fighting Federation]
Last Opponent: [#13 W105] Ye Ji Lee
Last 5: L W L W W

Sunday, December 13th 2026: Deep - 135 Impact

[#3 SW] Sukai China

[#4 SW] Jo Arai

Last Fight Date: 5/04/2026 [DEEP]
Last Opponent: [#6 SW] Sora Sugiyama
Last 5: W W W W W

Last Fight Date: 9/13/2026 [DEEP]
Last Opponent: [#23 SW] Daichi Kitakata
Last 5: L L W L W

Sunday, December 13th 2026: Deep Tokyo Impact 2026 6th Round

[#6 SW] Sora Sugiyama

[#10 SW] Goal Makino

Last Fight Date: 9/20/2026 [DEEP]
Last Opponent: [NR] Musashi Musashi
Last 5: W W W L W

Last Fight Date: 9/06/2026 [DEEP]
Last Opponent: [#42 SW] Toshiya Takashima
Last 5: W W W W W

Featured Fighters

[#18 W125]	Lucia Szabova	[#1 WW]	Islam Makhachev
[#18 LW]	Renato Carneiro	[#1 FW]	Alexander Volkanovski
[#8 HW]	Josh Hokit	[#13 LW]	Tom Nolan
[#26 WW]	Jacobe Smith	[#102 W125]	Tainara Lisboa
[#1 LW]	Justin Gaethje	[#2 LW]	Ilia Topuria

How Online Casino Bonuses Work: What Are They And How Do They Work?

Posted on February 13, 2024 by A. J. Riot

Have you ever come across an online casino that offers free money or spins? It may sound too good to be true, but there’s more to it than meets the eye. In fact, online casinos offer different types of bonuses to their players.

The most common type of bonus is the welcome bonus, offered to new players who make their first deposit. Apart from that, there are other bonuses such as no deposit bonuses, free spins for slot games, reload bonuses for existing players, and loyalty bonuses for players who play regularly.

Do you want to know how these bonuses work and what strategies you can use to benefit from them?

To know in detail, read this article about online casino bonuses to help you decide whether the treasure at the end is worth the chase!

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Fighters’ Styles and Analysis: All You Need for Successful MMA Betting

Posted on February 13, 2024 by A. J. Riot

Mixed martial arts (MMA) betting is a less popular betting niche compared to football, cricket, and other sports that pull massive crowds. Nonetheless, it is a gold mine for a few punters who know their craft. Betting on MMA requires analysis and strategy. However, instead of analyzing teams or players, you only focus on two individuals. Understanding a fighter’s style is crucial to making decisions, as each fighter has unique skills and strategies that influence their performance. Although some individuals adapt to handle their opponent’s approach, the inability to do so will cause struggles. Hence, knowing how a fighter will fare comes in handy in making predictions. Interestingly, this is all you need for successful betting. Let us explain how it works.

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Fight Matrix Program – UFC 298: Volkanovski vs. Topuria (02-16-2024)

Posted on February 12, 2024 by Jason

Featherweight Championship (145)
[#1/#2DD/#5P4P] Alexander Volkanovski (26-3-0, -115) vs. [#4] Ilia Topuria (14-0-0, -106)
Alexander Volkanovski is the All-Time #2 ranked Featherweight and #7 ranked Absolute fighter.
Ilia Topuria is the All-Time #45 ranked Featherweight fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Alexander Volkanovski (1-2-0)
2023-10-21: L vs. [#1LW/#1DD/#1P4P] Islam Makhachev (25-1-0) via KO (Head Kick and Punches) in 3:06 of round 1
2023-07-08: W vs. [#3FW] Yair Rodriguez (19-4-0) via TKO (Punches) in 4:19 of round 3
2023-02-11: L vs. [#1LW/#1DD/#1P4P] Islam Makhachev (25-1-0) via UD (48-47, 49-46, 48-47)

Last 3 Fights: Ilia Topuria (3-0-0)
2023-06-24: W vs. [#6FW] Josh Emmett (19-4-0) via UD (49-45, 50-44, 50-42)
2022-12-10: W vs. [#14FW] Bryce Mitchell (16-2-0) via Submission (Arm-Triangle Choke) in 3:10 of round 2
2022-03-19: W vs. [#128LW] Jai Herbert (12-5-1) via KO (Punches) in 1:07 of round 2

System	Favorite	Rating	Rating Diff	Win %
Betting Odds	Alexander Volkanovski	-115		50.96%
Elo K170	Alexander Volkanovski	2321.36	+256.15	76.32%
Elo Modified	Alexander Volkanovski	2262.80	+222.64	72.61%
Glicko-1	Alexander Volkanovski	2350.37	+251.14	80.93%
WHR	Alexander Volkanovski	2221.72	+172.17	68.71%

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Alexander Volkanovski 119, Ilia Topuria 238
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
.

Middleweight (185)
[#7] Robert Whittaker (24-7-0, -217) vs. [*] Paulo Costa (14-2-0, +174)
Robert Whittaker is the All-Time #5 ranked Middleweight fighter.
Paulo Costa is the All-Time #26 ranked Middleweight fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Robert Whittaker (1-2-0)
2023-07-08: L vs. [#2MW/#10DD] Dricus Du Plessis (21-2-0) via TKO (Punches) in 2:23 of round 2
2022-09-03: W vs. [#8MW] Marvin Vettori (19-7-1) via UD ()
2022-02-12: L vs. [#1MW/#8DD] Israel Adesanya (24-3-0) via UD (49-46, 48-47, 48-47)

Last 3 Fights: Paulo Costa (1-2-0)
2022-08-20: W vs. [*] Luke Rockhold (16-6-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
2021-10-23: L vs. [#8MW] Marvin Vettori (19-7-1) via UD (48-46, 48-46, 48-46)
2020-09-26: L vs. [#1MW/#8DD] Israel Adesanya (24-3-0) via TKO (Punches and Elbows) in 3:59 of round 2

System	Favorite	Rating	Rating Diff	Win %
Betting Odds	Robert Whittaker	-217		65.22%
Elo K170	Robert Whittaker	2141.38	+140.79	65.55%
Elo Modified	Robert Whittaker	2118.40	+114.65	62.29%
Glicko-1	Robert Whittaker	2177.03	+93.48	63.14%
WHR	Robert Whittaker	1951.77	+57.07	56.48%

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Robert Whittaker 224, Paulo Costa 546
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Robert Whittaker leads 4-2
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Welterweight (170)
[#11] Ian Garry (13-0-0, -231) vs. [#13] Geoff Neal (15-5-0, +184)

Last 3 Fights: Ian Garry (3-0-0)
2023-08-19: W vs. [#17WW] Neil Magny (29-11-0) via UD (30-26, 30-24, 30-26)
2023-05-13: W vs. [#38WW] Daniel Rodriguez (17-4-0) via TKO (Head Kick and Punches) in 2:57 of round 1
2023-03-04: W vs. [#166WW] Kenan Song (20-8-0) via TKO (Punches) in 4:22 of round 3

Last 3 Fights: Geoff Neal (2-1-0)
2023-03-04: L vs. [#5WW] Shavkat Rakhmonov (18-0-0) via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) in 4:17 of round 3
2022-08-06: W vs. [#9WW] Vicente Luque (22-9-1) via KO (Punches) in 2:01 of round 3
2021-12-11: W vs. [#32WW] Santiago Ponzinibbio (29-7-0) via SD (30-27, 28-29, 29-28)

System	Favorite	Rating	Rating Diff	Win %
Betting Odds	Ian Garry	-231		66.46%
Elo K170	Geoff Neal	1980.69	+1.27	50.15%
Elo Modified	Ian Garry	1970.17	+39.99	54.37%
Glicko-1	Ian Garry	2004.00	+34.99	55.02%
WHR	Ian Garry	1918.30	+74.75	58.46%

Days Since Last Pro Fight: Ian Garry 182, Geoff Neal 350
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Ian Garry leads 1-0
.
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Previewing UFC 300

Posted on February 12, 2024 by Oleg

UFC 300 will take place in Las Vegas on April 13th, 2024. The date of this historic show is coming up fast, however the order of bouts on the card is also still unknown, so instead of strictly looking at the main card as I usually do in event previews, I will talk about the five fights announced so far that interest me the most:

[#3 LW] Justin Gaethje vs [#2 FW] Max Holloway

This is the highest-ranked men’s fight on the card so far. Even though it’s not for a title (and don’t tell me anything about ‘BMF’), this fight could very well be the headliner – and it actually might be, but more on this later. Here we have a former featherweight champion making his second attempt at moving up a division to take on a perennial lightweight contender. The odds favorite, Justin ‘The Highlight’ Gaethje, has rebounded from his most recent title loss to Charles Oliveira with victories over Rafael Fiziev and a spectacular second round head kick knockout over Dusting Porrier. Though he has already fought for the title twice, Justin is still very close to title contention; however he instead chose to take a superfight with Max Holloway.

Holloway has once had a long reign as the king of the featherweight division, before the ascent of Alexander Volkanovski – to whom Holloway lost thrice. He still continues to take out all the top contenders in the 145-lbs division, but as long as Volkanovski remains champion, the probability of Max getting another title shot are very low. Why not try his luck in a different weight class? This won’t be Holloway’s first foray at 155 lbs; in fact he has started his career as a lightweight, and as recently as 2019 has faced Dustin Porrier for the interim lightweight title. MMA math and the odds say that Justin should walk away victorious from this bout; indeed this will be a tough hill to climb for the outsized and outpowered Holloway, whose best chance is to out-cardio Gaethje. I’m curious to see whether Justin’s considerable power will be enough to crack Holloway’s legendary chin and it appears there is no real trend for those placing a bet online as the odds are tight.

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What’s next for Sean Strickland after losing to Du Plessis?

Posted on February 12, 2024 by A. J. Riot

A fighter millions of UFC fans adore due to his comical value and frankness on a range of subjects, coupled with his all-action fighting style, Sean Strickland’s momentum at the top of the middleweight tree took a massive hit after his somewhat controversial loss to Dricus Du Plessis at UFC 297. A devastating split-decision defeat in his first title defence, Strickland will undoubtedly take a short break away from the sport as he prepares for his next bout.

The fight with Du Plessis would certainly have taken a lot out of Strickland. The South African is a formidable opponent who handled Strickland pushing the pace throughout the contest, coming out on top in a back-and-forth feast that provided plenty of entertainment for fans. In fact, the fight is arguably the best battle we’ve seen in 2024 so far, with both fighters contributing to a brutal slugfest that MMA connoisseurs enjoyed.

Of course, Strickland’s diehard fans who enjoy his hilarious takes on podcasts and his usually fiery press conferences would’ve been shocked to see their man lose, particularly as many would’ve backed him in the betting stakes and shared their respective theories on why the former champion would have too much for Du Plessis. Strickland failed to deliver, though, and after just four months after it began, his period of dominance has already come to an end.

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Current MMA Rankings Updated (02-11-2024)

Posted on February 11, 2024 by Jason

What Happened to Manny Pacquiao? A Look at the Legend’s Present and Future

Posted on February 10, 2024 by A. J. Riot

He danced in the ring like a butterfly and stung like a bee, his lightning-fast fists captivating audiences worldwide and etching his name into boxing history. Manny Pacquiao, the eight-division world champion and global icon, transcended the sport, becoming a national hero in his native Philippines and an inspiration to millions. But with his gloves seemingly hung up, boxing fans are left wondering: what happened to Manny Pacquiao?

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In the Tech Corner: Masterful Strategies for Embracing Innovation in the Ring

Posted on February 8, 2024 by A. J. Riot

A fighter steps into the ring, muscles tensed, mind razor-sharp, and surprisingly, they’re hooked up to a slew of gadgets you’d expect to find in a sci-fi movie. That’s the modern-age warrior for you. Combat sports, particularly mixed martial arts (MMA), have leaped into the tech era with gusto. From wearable trackers that monitor every punch to virtual reality systems that simulate fights, technology is changing the game in ways we never imagined.

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