Fight Matrix

Fight Matrix Program – UFC on ESPN+ 25: Felder vs. Hooker (02-22-2020)

Posted on February 19, 2020 by Jason

Lightweight (155)
[#8] Dan Hooker (19-8-0, -136) vs. [#9] Paul Felder (17-4-0, +112)
Paul Felder is the All-Time #48 ranked Lightweight fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Dan Hooker (2-1-0)
2019-10-05: W vs. [#13LW] Al Iaquinta (15-6-1) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-26)
2019-07-20: W vs. [#112WW] James Vick (13-5-0) via KO (Punch) in 2:33 of round 1
2018-12-15: L vs. [#15LW] Edson Barboza (20-8-0) via KO (Punch to the Body) in 2:19 of round 3

Last 3 Fights: Paul Felder (2-1-0)
2019-09-07: W vs. [#15LW] Edson Barboza (20-8-0) via SD (27-30, 29-28, 30-27)
2019-02-17: W vs. [#112WW] James Vick (13-5-0) via UD (29-28, 30-27, 30-27)
2018-07-07: L vs. [#30WW] Mike Perry (13-6-0) via SD (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

Odds Favorite (Implied): Dan Hooker – Win%: 54.99
Elo Favorite (Standard): Paul Felder (1997.16) [+12.99] – Win%: 51.48
Elo Favorite (Modified): Dan Hooker (1969.78) [+19.40] – Win%: 52.12
Glicko-1 Favorite (Adj): Dan Hooker (1981.82) [+20.38] – Win%: 53.71
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Dan Hooker 140, Paul Felder 168
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: Even: Both have 2 win(s) against common opposition.
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Light Heavyweight (205)
[#34] Jim Crute (10-1-0, +125) vs. [#42] Michal Oleksiejczuk (16-3-0, -149)

Last 3 Fights: Jim Crute (2-1-0)
2019-09-14: L vs. [#20LHW] Misha Cirkunov (15-5-0) via Submission (Peruvian Necktie) in 3:38 of round 1
2019-02-09: W vs. [#39LHW] Sam Alvey (33-13-0) via TKO (Punches) in 2:49 of round 1
2018-12-01: W vs. [#47LHW] Paul Craig (12-4-1) via Submission (Kimura) in 4:51 of round 3

Last 3 Fights: Michal Oleksiejczuk (2-1-0)
2019-09-28: L vs. [#21LHW] Ovince St. Preux (24-13-0) via Submission (Shoulder Choke) in 2:14 of round 2
2019-04-20: W vs. [#85LHW] Gadzhimurad Antigulov (20-6-0) via KO (Punch) in 0:44 of round 1
2019-02-23: W vs. [#44LHW] Gian Villante (17-11-0) via TKO (Punches) in 1:34 of round 1

Odds Favorite (Implied): Michal Oleksiejczuk – Win%: 57.38
Elo Favorite (Standard): Michal Oleksiejczuk (1646.75) [+41.12] – Win%: 54.68
Elo Favorite (Modified): Michal Oleksiejczuk (1664.15) [+3.19] – Win%: 50.35
Glicko-1 Favorite (Adj): Michal Oleksiejczuk (1664.40) [+47.53] – Win%: 58.97
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Jim Crute 161, Michal Oleksiejczuk 147
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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Heavyweight (265)
[#59] Marcos Rogerio de Lima (16-6-1, -146) vs. [#144] Ben Sosoli (7-2-0, +121)

Last 3 Fights: Marcos Rogerio de Lima (1-2-0)
2019-02-23: L vs. [#37HW+] Stefan Struve (29-12-0) via Submission (Arm Triangle Choke) in 2:21 of round 2
2018-11-03: W vs. [*] Adam Wieczorek (10-2-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
2017-04-22: L vs. [#21LHW] Ovince St. Preux (24-13-0) via Submission (Shoulder Choke) in 2:11 of round 2

Last 3 Fights: Ben Sosoli (1-0-0, 2 NC)
2019-10-18: NC vs. [#104HW+] Greg Hardy (5-2-0)
2019-08-27: NC vs. [#223HW+] Dustin Joynson (5-0-0)
2019-03-29: W vs. [#318HW+] Kelvin Fitial (15-9-2) via KO (Punches) in 1:42 of round 1

Odds Favorite (Implied): Marcos Rogerio de Lima – Win%: 56.73
Elo Favorite (Standard): Marcos Rogerio de Lima (1527.20) [+167.14] – Win%: 68.21
Elo Favorite (Modified): Marcos Rogerio de Lima (1573.28) [+202.54] – Win%: 70.82
Glicko-1 Favorite (Adj): Marcos Rogerio de Lima (1514.40) [+120.68] – Win%: 72.16
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Marcos Rogerio de Lima 364, Ben Sosoli 127
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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The 3 Benefits of Boxing as a Sport

Posted on February 19, 2020 by A. J. Riot

Boxing is one of the oldest sports in existence. However, it can be argued that it has experienced a decrease in popularity in recent years compared to the olden days. This is due to the rise of other sports which continues to grow in fame, and in turn may be siphoning away some of the boxing fans.

The decline in popularity can also be linked to the fact that many people think that boxing is only meant for professionals. The assumption is not true since the sport is suitable for people of different age groups and skill levels. Regardless, boxing remains to be of the greatest sports ever.

Boxing affords boxers and lovers of the sport with three main benefits:

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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
[#13 LW]	Tom Nolan	[#26 WW]	Jacobe Smith
[#102 W125]	Tainara Lisboa	[#1 LW]	Justin Gaethje
[#2 LW]	Ilia Topuria	[#8 HW]	Josh Hokit

What do you need to know about Mixed Martial Arts?

Posted on February 18, 2020 by A. J. Riot

What do you need to know about Mixed Martial Arts?

Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is gaining popularity day by day by attracting fans and supporters across the globe from all walks of life. One of the factors attributed to this is the ever-expanding availability of facilities and gyms that offer MMA training. Moreover, there are many sponsors coming on board, which motivates more of the martial arts practitioners to make it a career sport.

However, to some people, sport is still kind of new and they have pressing doubts about it. Have you ever played poker online for the first time, and you felt lost? Well, that is how you look at MMA if you don’t know many of the facts surrounding this sport. Here are the essential things that you should probably know as a Mixed Martial Arts fan:

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Essential Tips To Consider When Choosing the Best Sports Supplements

Posted on February 18, 2020 by A. J. Riot

Fitness and health-conscious living is an integral part of today’s society. There’s been a massive demand for sports supplements for quite some time as more individuals are seeking to get fit. Supplements can play a huge part in performance enhancement. However, with many supplements, it’s easy to get overwhelmed when trying to pick the right ones just for you. Take a deep breath and relax! Below are essential tips that you ought to consider when selecting the ideal sports supplements.

Always pick supplements that are tested and tried

As a sports enthusiast, you can’t risk taking any item that will alter your performance negatively. It would be best if you inquire about clinical trials as well as research concerning a given supplement. When you are looking at the company, you ought to ask for copies of experiments that you can check to see the batch test done on the products.

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Current MMA Rankings Updated (02-16-2020)

Posted on February 16, 2020 by Jason

Could MMA Fighters Cut it in the Boxing Ring?

Posted on February 15, 2020 by A. J. Riot

After what was viewed as a marketing gig in the ring between boxer Floyd Mayweather and MMA fighter Conor McGregor, we are set to witness more of the same. Fights between these two set of fighters are here to stay. The fight between the famous pair raked in a lot of money, amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars, prompting promoters to rethink their position on organizing similar events.

Mixed martial artists are not believed to be as lethal with the use of hands as their boxing counterparts, but the skills honed by these combatants have certainly come a long way. In modern MMA, the boxing aspect is emphasized. There is even more focus on acquiring essential boxing skills in training, meaning that the skill gap is slowly bridging.

Several fighters drawn from both sides of the divide are angling for match-ups, and a trend is likely to develop. It makes economic sense, and a lot of it. But the main question has been whether these MMA fighters can really make it in the boxing ring.

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Fight Matrix Program – UFC on ESPN+ 25: Anderson vs. Blachowicz 2 (02-15-2020)

Posted on February 11, 2020 by Jason

Light Heavyweight (205)
[#5] Jan Blachowicz (25-8-0, +184) vs. [#9] Corey Anderson (13-4-0, -227)
Jan Blachowicz is the All-Time #29 ranked Light Heavyweight fighter.
Corey Anderson is the All-Time #38 ranked Light Heavyweight fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Jan Blachowicz (2-1-0)
2019-11-16: W vs. [#10MW] Ronaldo Souza (26-8-0) via SD (47-48, 48-47, 48-47)
2019-07-06: W vs. [#12LHW] Luke Rockhold (16-5-0) via KO (Punches) in 1:39 of round 2
2019-02-23: L vs. [#3LHW] Thiago Santos (21-7-0) via TKO (Punches) in 0:39 of round 3

Last 3 Fights: Corey Anderson (3-0-0)
2019-11-02: W vs. [#27LHW] Johnny Walker (17-4-0) via TKO (Punches) in 2:07 of round 1
2018-12-29: W vs. [#47HW+] Ilir Latifi (14-8-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
2018-07-22: W vs. [#11LHW] Glover Teixeira (30-7-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Odds Favorite (Implied): Corey Anderson – Win%: 66.34
Elo Favorite (Standard): Jan Blachowicz (2064.49) [+64.86] – Win%: 57.36
Elo Favorite (Modified): Jan Blachowicz (2017.04) [+3.13] – Win%: 50.34
Glicko-1 Favorite (Adj): Jan Blachowicz (2033.48) [+26.79] – Win%: 54.90
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Jan Blachowicz 91, Corey Anderson 105
Previous Match-up Record: Corey Anderson leads 1-0-0
Wins Against Common Opposition: Even: Both have 2 win(s) against common opposition.
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Welterweight (170)
[#61] Diego Sanchez (29-12-0, +133) vs. [#142] Michel Pereira (24-10-0, -160)
Diego Sanchez is the All-Time #23 ranked Welterweight fighter.

Last 3 Fights: Diego Sanchez (2-1-0)
2019-07-06: L vs. [#9WW] Michael Chiesa (17-4-0) via UD (30-26, 30-26, 30-26)
2019-03-02: W vs. [#155WW] Mickey Gall (6-2-0) via TKO (Punches) in 4:13 of round 2
2018-09-08: W vs. [#248WW] Craig White (14-11-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Last 3 Fights: Michel Pereira (2-1-0)
2019-09-14: L vs. [#92WW] Tristan Connelly (14-6-0) via UD (29-27, 29-27, 29-28)
2019-05-18: W vs. [#115WW] Danny Roberts (17-5-0) via KO (Flying Knee and Punch) in 1:47 of round 1
2019-02-23: W vs. [#571HW+] Dae Sung Kim (4-6-0) via TKO in 1:02 of round 2

Odds Favorite (Implied): Michel Pereira – Win%: 58.91
Elo Favorite (Standard): Diego Sanchez (1711.43) [+187.22] – Win%: 70.17
Elo Favorite (Modified): Diego Sanchez (1707.76) [+158.73] – Win%: 66.70
Glicko-1 Favorite (Adj): Diego Sanchez (1668.64) [+98.66] – Win%: 68.00
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Diego Sanchez 224, Michel Pereira 154
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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Light Heavyweight (205)
[#57] Devin Clark (10-4-0) vs. [#164] Dequan Townsend (22-10-0)

Last 3 Fights: Devin Clark (1-2-0)
2019-10-12: L vs. [#14LHW] Ryan Spann (17-5-0) via Submission (Guillotine Choke) in 2:01 of round 2
2019-06-01: W vs. [#121LHW] Darko Stosic (13-4-0) via UD (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
2018-12-08: L vs. [#19LHW] Aleksandar Rakic (12-2-0) via TKO (Punches) in 4:05 of round 1

Last 3 Fights: Dequan Townsend (1-2-0)
2020-01-25: L vs. [#128MW] Bevon Lewis (7-2-0) via UD (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
2019-06-29: L vs. [#74LHW] Dalcha Lungiambula (10-2-0) via TKO (Punches and Elbows) in 0:42 of round 3
2019-03-09: W vs. [#399LHW] Wayman Carter (7-10-0) via SUB in of round 1

Elo Favorite (Standard): Devin Clark (1553.42) [+247.08] – Win%: 75.56
Elo Favorite (Modified): Devin Clark (1573.65) [+242.13] – Win%: 74.27
Glicko-1 Favorite (Adj): Devin Clark (1535.67) [+188.83] – Win%: 81.19
Days Since Last Pro Fight: Devin Clark 126, Dequan Townsend 21
Previous Match-up Record: No previous match-ups.
Wins Against Common Opposition: No common opposition or both are winless against common opposition.
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Five Essential Tips You Must Consider to Improve Your Sports Training

Posted on February 10, 2020 by A. J. Riot

Are you new to exercise or an elite athlete? If you’re not at the elite level yet, it’s essential to remind yourself of the fundamental training aspects. Sports training requires time and utmost dedication. It’s time to forge new alliances with your training instructor, develop fitness as well as acquire sports skills that will carry you through training and beyond. Here are essential tips that you ought to consider to have the best possible training.

Strive to match your abilities with your interests

You must enjoy a given training program lest you fall off the wagon and fail to achieve your desired results. Instead of selecting a generic application or doing what other people do, it would be best if you adjust your intensity as well as workout time to suit your lifestyle.

You ought to find a workout routine that will meet your personal goals. Having a personal trainer goes a long way in ensuring you get the best possible training that will suit all your interests. Keep Reading

Why I hate how Reyes “Won” / A New Scoring Idea

Posted on February 9, 2020 by Jason

Long before I started following MMA, I followed boxing. In fact, I cut my rating software teeth over at BoxRec before I helped found this site. The sport’s history is incredible, HBO carried almost all the major fights with the best production I’ve ever seen in boxing or MMA and the star power was enormous.

Boxing has always had problems though; the amount of divisions and titles make it difficult for fans to follow, corruption has caused some egregious scorecards, unregulated matchmaking results in lopsided main events and most importantly, a lot of boring fights where boxers chase points to win. I’m focusing on the last one.

Chasing points makes more sense in boxing. Most big fights are 12 rounds, which can create a lot of mini-stories and “back and forth” within one fight. 36 minutes of fighting is a long time. Also, combatants wear big padded gloves better equipped for defense and causing CTE than they are for creating KOs. Boxers can only use their fists as weapons and in top fights where boxers are competitively matched, there’s only so much that can be done to end a fight prematurely. MMA does not have these problems.

I saw Reyes play a bit of this strategy in the main event last night through the first 3 rounds. I’m honestly not sure who won the fight, but I think it should’ve been a 48-47 win using the current system. Ignoring who he is as a person, I was happy to hear that Jones won the fight, mainly because I would’ve been unhappy if Reyes won. After hearing the 49-46 scorecard announced, I was sure Jones had taken it. Regardless of how inept the judges are, there’s no way that they could not give him rounds 4 & 5. I’m glad they did and I’m about to explain why.

People think the current scoring system is flawed and I’ve heard a few ideas regarding “better” systems.

Add half-point scoring – Keep the current system but promote the use of 10-9.5 and 10-8.5 scores. I think this is bad, because it allows the judges to have more “play”, which has people complaining already.
Use the entire 10 points – Rounds can be 10-10, 10-9, 10-8, 10-7 and all the way down. I dislike this for the same reason, but it is much worse.
More 10-10s and 10-8s – Be more free with the 10-10 and 10-8 scoring for rounds. I actually support this idea, but don’t think it fixes the problem.
Survival = Draw – If fighters survive to the end, it is a draw. This is the system (correct me if I’m wrong) currently used in Lethwei. We also saw some of this in early MMA and professional wrestling (TV time-limit draw). I’d like to see a trial run of this. Would fighters try harder to finish? Or would fans just lose interest as we get tremendous amounts of draws?

My plan is simple:

Keep the round-by-round scoring, but the 10-point cards aren’t added up at the end. Instead, the number of the round won, equates to the value and that results in the final scores.

Example: Most people thought Reyes won 1-3 and Jones, 4-5. Reyes gets a score of (1+2+3 = 6), while Jones gets a score of (4+5 = 9). Jones wins 9-6.

Alternate Example: “Non-championship” rounds worth 1, “Championship” rounds worth 2. Reyes (1+1+1 = 3), Jones (2+2 = 4). Jones wins 4-3.

It sounds crazy at first, but coming from a boxing fanbase, I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard that “MMA is more of a real fight than boxing”. I agree and in a real fight, there are no rounds and it may not be over until it is really over, until someone gets incapacitated or worse. In such a fight, which is more important, the first 10 seconds or the last? If a fighter (Reyes) dances around another (Jones) on the streets and then gets gassed, how do you think that fight is going to end up?

Increasing importance should be placed on the end of the fight. Furthermore, it is the last thing that people remember, whether someone makes a strong comeback, or both fighters are horribly gassed.

The only downside is that in 3 round fights, the first example almost definitely results in more draws, while the second has zero impact. I think we can either live with that or make some tweaks.

Watching Reyes compile those points in the first three rounds reminded me of why I’ve mostly moved on from boxing, while watching Jones finish strong made me miss it. Boxing has had some of the greatest sports moments coming down to the close of a fight and perhaps a change like this could see MMA join that club. Imagine how much more exciting fights would be, coming to the final bell? Think about it.

Current MMA Rankings Updated (02-09-2020)

Posted on February 9, 2020 by Jason