Matt Wiman
Encyclopedia
Matthew Charles Wiman is an American mixed martial artist
, who competes as a lightweight
in the Ultimate Fighting Championship
. Previously, Wiman was the middleweight champion in the Extreme Fighting League and a contestant on The Ultimate Fighter 5
.
Wiman currently trains with the Kline Brothers at Easton Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
in Arvada, Colorado
.
with legendary UFC fighter, Mikey Burnett
, at the Lion's Den
in Tulsa, Oklahoma
.
Wiman's initiation into professional fighting came on August 14, 2004. A relatively unknown fighter at the time, Matt entered the Extreme Fight Night tournament organized by renowned kickboxer, Dale Apollo Cook. Matt won 3 fights that night to became the Extreme Fighting League Middleweight Champion. He defeated Joseph Garza and Greg Bossler, each by unanimous decision, before finishing Venn Johns by triangle choke
for the championship belt.
Matt's first title defense came on November 13, 2004, when he defeated David Franks by armbar in 42 seconds of the first round.
He defended the title again on February 5, 2005, knocking D.J. Randall unconscious in 20 seconds of the first round.
Wiman first gained national attention at FFC 15-Fiesta Las Vegas on September 15, 2005 against fellow rising star Roger Huerta
. It was a back and forth fight, with both fighters nearly finishing on several occasions. Matt lost a controversial decision. As a result of their impressive performances, Wiman and Huerta both caught the eyes of Dana White
and UFC matchmaker, Joe Silva.
Wiman defended his Extreme Fight League championship belt for a third and final time on November 12, 2005 at Battle at the Brady 2 against Thomas Grissom. Matt won by referee stoppage in the 1st round due to multiple cuts sustained by Grissom.
Wiman's next fight was at MFC-Boardwalk Blitz on March 14, 2006 in Atlantic City, New Jersey
against UFC veteran, Nick Agallar. Matt lost by unanimous decision.
out of his scheduled fight with Spencer Fisher
at UFC 60
, Wiman was given the call and agreed to make his UFC debut on two weeks notice.
Matt faced UFC veteran, Spencer Fisher
at UFC 60
at the Staples Center
in Los Angeles
on May 27, 2006. Round 1 began with the fighters exchanging punches standing, then Wiman shot in quickly and scored a takedown. He wound up on top of Fisher, and nearly finished the fight when he secured a deep guillotine choke
. However, Fisher fought it off and eventually gained top position, and connected with several good punches. The round ended with Fisher landing a shot that opened a cut on Wiman's head. Round 2 opened with a few brief exchanges on the feet, until Fisher pushed the pace and landed a solid punch to the head. Wiman appeared dazed and stumbled just before Fisher came in with a devastating flying knee, forcing a referee stoppage at 1:43 of the second round.
show, featuring Lightweights. He fought on B.J. Penn's team. His preliminary fight was against Marlon Sims. Wiman landed a devastating overhand right in the opening seconds of the fight, climbed on the back of Sims and choked him unconscious. Wiman was defeated by eventual finalist Manvel Gamburyan
of Team Pulver in the quarterfinals by decision. Gamburyan and Wiman exchanged takedowns, but Gamburyan was on top most of the fight and got the victory, despite Dana White's
thoughts that "Handsome" could make it to the finals of the show.
Wiman fought Brian Geraghty on June 23, 2007 on the Finale of The Ultimate Fighter 5. He took his opponent down early and worked a ground and pound attack. Wiman landed strikes in Geraghty's guard and passed to full mount, where he unloaded punches to the head, causing referee Yves Lavigne to stop the fight due to strikes on the ground at 2:09 of round 1.
ka fighter Michihiro Omigawa
at UFC 76
. Wiman controlled the fight with takedowns and ground control, and won a unanimous decision victory.
His next fight was against Justin Buchholz at UFC Fight Night 12
on January 23, 2008. Wiman scored a takedown in the opening moments of the fight and worked quickly to the mount position. He landed an elbow below the right eye of Buchholz causing a cut. The UFC newcomer turned over to avoid further strikes to the face and Wiman secured the back position. After a brief struggle to secure the rear naked choke, Wiman forced Buchholz to submit at 2:58 of the first round, giving him his third straight victory in the UFC.
Wiman's next fight was against Lightweight contender Thiago Tavares
at UFC 85
. After an impressive grappling exchange in round one, he eventually beat Tavares by knockout from a right hook in the second round http://www.ufc.com/index.cfm?fa=eventDetail.fightCard&eid=1109, with former Light Heavyweight Champion Chuck Liddell
in his corner.
At UFC: Fight for the Troops
, he struggled with a physically more dominant opponent in Jim Miller
and lost via unanimous decision. On April 18, 2009, Wiman faced Canadian Sam Stout
at UFC 97
in Montreal, Quebec. In a closely contested fight, Wiman seemed hurt from a flush liver shot late in round two, but rallied and controlled Stout for the final round. Most fans were very upset with the judges decision. He lost via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28).
He was scheduled to fight Rafael dos Anjos
on September 19, 2009 at UFC 103
, but was forced to withdraw because of a knee injury. He was replaced by Rob Emerson
.
On December 12, 2009, Wiman defeated Shane Nelson
via unanimous decision at UFC 107
(30-27, 30-27, 30-27).
Wiman defeated Mac Danzig
via first round submission at UFC 115
. However, the stoppage was apparently premature and mistaken as Wiman had Danzig in a tight guillotine choke
and referee Yves Lavigne called a stoppage despite the fact that Danzig had not submitted and was still conscious.
Wiman was expected to face Danzig again on September 15, 2010 at UFC Fight Night 22
, however Danzig was forced off the card with an injury. Wiman was then set to face Efrain Escudero
, but Wiman was also forced out of the bout with an injury and was replaced by Charles Oliveira
.
Wiman was expected to face Cole Miller
on January 1, 2011 at UFC 125
, but the bout eventually took place on January 22, 2011 at UFC Fight Night 23. Wiman pummeled Miller for 3 consecutive rounds, resulting in a unanimous decision victory.
Wiman faced Dennis Siver
on July 2, 2011 at UFC 132
. He lost via unanimous decision.
Wiman won a rematch with Mac Danzig
via unanimous decision on October 1, 2011 at UFC on Versus 6,. The back and forth action earned Fight of the Night honors.
and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma
. He is married and now makes his home in Arvada, Colorado
. He has an older brother and three younger sisters.
Wiman has publicly voiced his appreciation to the men and women in the United States Armed Forces
. Matt's older brother was a Green Beret in the United States Army
, and a veteran of the war in Afghanistan
. Because of his gratitude towards the U.S. soldiers, Matt says he is proud to have fought in both UFC fundraising events for the Intrepid Fallen Heros Fund, UFC Fight for the Troops 1 at Fort Bragg in Fayetteville, North Carolina and UFC Fight for the Troops 2 at Fort Hood near Killeen, Texas.
Matt is also an advocate of food awareness and supporter of animal rights
. After his victory over Cole Miller
at UFC Fight for the Troops 2 he told Joe Rogan that he left his TV on at home and gave a shout out to his pets.
In early September 2011, while attending a high school track event in Brighton, Colorado, Matt Wiman's dad, Chip Wiman, was struck by lightning. Matt was interviewed by the local news when he picked his dad up from the hospital, "He's so lucky and blessed to survive something like that," said Matt. "We're so thankful. You know, life is so precious, you want to just enjoy everyday, every minute".
|Win
|align=center| 14-6
| Mac Danzig
|Decision (unanimous)
|UFC Live: Cruz vs. Johnson
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
| Washington D.C., United States
|Fight of the Night
|-
|Loss
|align=center| 13-6
|Dennis Siver
|Decision (unanimous)
|UFC 132
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
|Las Vegas, Nevada
, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|13-5
|Cole Miller
|Decision (unanimous)
|UFC: Fight For The Troops 2
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|5:00
|Fort Hood, Texas
, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|12-5
|Mac Danzig
|Technical Submission (guillotine choke)
|UFC 115
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|1:45
|Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|11-5
|Shane Nelson
|Decision (unanimous)
|UFC 107
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|5:00
|Memphis, Tennessee
, United States
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center|10-5
|Sam Stout
|Decision (unanimous)
|UFC 97
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|5:00
|Montreal, Quebec, Canada
|Fight of the Night
|-
|Loss
|align=center|10-4
|Jim Miller
|Decision (unanimous)
|UFC: Fight for the Troops
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|5:00
|Fayetteville, North Carolina
, United States
|Fight of the Night
|-
|Win
|align=center|10-3
|Thiago Tavares
|KO (punches)
|UFC 85
|
|align=center|2
|align=center|1:57
|London
, England
|Fight of the Night
|-
|Win
|align=center|9-3
|Justin Buchholz
|Submission (rear-naked choke)
|UFC Fight Night: Swick vs Burkman
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|2:56
|Las Vegas, Nevada
, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|8-3
|Michihiro Omigawa
|Decision (unanimous)
|UFC 76
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|5:00
|Anaheim, California
, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|7-3
|Brian Geraghty
|TKO (punches)
|The Ultimate Fighter 5 Finale
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|2:09
|Las Vegas, Nevada
, United States
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center|6-3
|Spencer Fisher
|KO (flying knee)
|UFC 60
|
|align=center|2
|align=center|1:43
|Los Angeles, California
, United States
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center|6-2
|Nick Agallar
|Decision (unanimous)
|MFC: Boardwalk Blitz
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|5:00
|Atlantic City, New Jersey
, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|6-1
|Mark Thomas Grissom
|TKO (corner stoppage)
|XFL 18: Battle at the Brady 2
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|3:00
|Tulsa, Oklahoma
, United States
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center|5-1
|Roger Huerta
|Decision (unanimous)
|FFC 15: Fiesta Las Vegas
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|5:00
|Las Vegas, Nevada
, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|5-0
|D.J. Randall
|TKO (punches)
|XFL: Xtreme Fighting 3: Superbrawl
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|0:20
|Miami, Oklahoma
, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|4-0
|David Frank
|Submission (armbar)
|XFL: EK 14: Heavyweight Gladiators
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|0:42
|Tulsa, Oklahoma
, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|3-0
|Venn Johns
|Submission (triangle choke)
|XFL: EK 13: Elimination
|
|align=center|2
|align=center|1:30
|Tulsa, Oklahoma
, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|2-0
|Greg Bossler
|Decision (unanimous)
|XFL: EK 13: Elimination
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|5:00
|Tulsa, Oklahoma
, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|1-0
|Joe Garza
|Decision (unanimous)
|XFL: EK 13: Elimination
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|5:00
|Tulsa, Oklahoma
, United States
|
Mixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
, who competes as a lightweight
Lightweight (MMA)
The lightweight division in mixed martial arts can refer to a number of different weight classes:* The UFC & Strikeforce lightweight division with upper limit at 155 lb...
in the Ultimate Fighting Championship
Ultimate Fighting Championship
The Ultimate Fighting Championship is the largest mixed martial arts promotion company in the world that hosts most of the top-ranked fighters in the sport...
. Previously, Wiman was the middleweight champion in the Extreme Fighting League and a contestant on The Ultimate Fighter 5
The Ultimate Fighter 5
The Ultimate Fighter 5 was the fifth season of the Ultimate Fighting Championship produced reality television series The Ultimate Fighter...
.
Wiman currently trains with the Kline Brothers at Easton Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a martial art, combat sport, and a self defense system that focuses on grappling and especially ground fighting...
in Arvada, Colorado
Arvada, Colorado
The City of Arvada is a Home Rule Municipality located in Jefferson and Adams counties in the Denver metropolitan area of the U.S. State of Colorado. Olde Town Arvada is located northwest of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver...
.
Early career
Matt began training mixed martial artsMixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
with legendary UFC fighter, Mikey Burnett
Mikey Burnett
Michael Wayne Burnett is a former American mixed martial artist who was a member of the legendary fight team the Lion's Den...
, at the Lion's Den
Lion's Den (mixed martial arts)
The Lion's Den is a mixed martial arts team and training facility that was based out of Susanville, California and San Diego, California but has recently moved its headquarters to Reno, Nevada. The team was founded in the early 1990s by UFC Hall of Famer Ken Shamrock, and was the most dominant...
in Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
.
Wiman's initiation into professional fighting came on August 14, 2004. A relatively unknown fighter at the time, Matt entered the Extreme Fight Night tournament organized by renowned kickboxer, Dale Apollo Cook. Matt won 3 fights that night to became the Extreme Fighting League Middleweight Champion. He defeated Joseph Garza and Greg Bossler, each by unanimous decision, before finishing Venn Johns by triangle choke
Triangle choke
A triangle choke, or sankaku-jime in Judo, is a type of figure-four chokehold which strangles the opponent by encircling the opponent's neck and one arm with the legs in a configuration similar to the shape of a triangle...
for the championship belt.
Matt's first title defense came on November 13, 2004, when he defeated David Franks by armbar in 42 seconds of the first round.
He defended the title again on February 5, 2005, knocking D.J. Randall unconscious in 20 seconds of the first round.
Wiman first gained national attention at FFC 15-Fiesta Las Vegas on September 15, 2005 against fellow rising star Roger Huerta
Roger Huerta
Roger Huerta , is an American mixed martial artist. He initially gained exposure by competing in the lightweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship and later Bellator Fighting Championships.-Early life:...
. It was a back and forth fight, with both fighters nearly finishing on several occasions. Matt lost a controversial decision. As a result of their impressive performances, Wiman and Huerta both caught the eyes of Dana White
Dana White
Dana White is the current President of the Ultimate Fighting Championship , a mixed martial arts organization based in the United States.- Biography :...
and UFC matchmaker, Joe Silva.
Wiman defended his Extreme Fight League championship belt for a third and final time on November 12, 2005 at Battle at the Brady 2 against Thomas Grissom. Matt won by referee stoppage in the 1st round due to multiple cuts sustained by Grissom.
Wiman's next fight was at MFC-Boardwalk Blitz on March 14, 2006 in Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...
against UFC veteran, Nick Agallar. Matt lost by unanimous decision.
Debut in The Ultimate Fighting Championship
When injury forced Leonard GarciaLeonard Garcia
Leonard Garcia is an American mixed martial artist who currently competes in the featherweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. He previously fought for the UFC in the lightweight division before moving down to the featherweight division in the World Extreme Cagefighting...
out of his scheduled fight with Spencer Fisher
Spencer Fisher
Spencer William Fisher is an American mixed martial artist from Brevard, North Carolina. He currently fights in the lightweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship promotion. He holds notable victories over Thiago Alves, Matt Wiman, Sam Stout, Jeremy Stephens, and Caol Uno...
at UFC 60
UFC 60
UFC 60: Hughes vs. Gracie was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on May 27, 2006. The event took place at the Staples Center, in Los Angeles, California and was broadcast live on pay-per-view in the United States and Canada.-Background:Headlining the card was a...
, Wiman was given the call and agreed to make his UFC debut on two weeks notice.
Matt faced UFC veteran, Spencer Fisher
Spencer Fisher
Spencer William Fisher is an American mixed martial artist from Brevard, North Carolina. He currently fights in the lightweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship promotion. He holds notable victories over Thiago Alves, Matt Wiman, Sam Stout, Jeremy Stephens, and Caol Uno...
at UFC 60
UFC 60
UFC 60: Hughes vs. Gracie was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on May 27, 2006. The event took place at the Staples Center, in Los Angeles, California and was broadcast live on pay-per-view in the United States and Canada.-Background:Headlining the card was a...
at the Staples Center
Staples Center
Staples Center is a multi-purpose sports arena in Downtown Los Angeles. Adjacent to the L.A. Live development, it is located next to the Los Angeles Convention Center complex along Figueroa Street. Opening on October 17, 1999, it is one of the major sporting facilities in the Greater Los Angeles...
in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
on May 27, 2006. Round 1 began with the fighters exchanging punches standing, then Wiman shot in quickly and scored a takedown. He wound up on top of Fisher, and nearly finished the fight when he secured a deep guillotine choke
Guillotine choke
The guillotine choke is a chokehold in martial arts and wrestling applied from in front of the opponent. The choke involves using the arms to encircle the opponent's neck in a fashion similar to a guillotine. The technique is either a type of tracheal compression restraint that prevents air flow...
. However, Fisher fought it off and eventually gained top position, and connected with several good punches. The round ended with Fisher landing a shot that opened a cut on Wiman's head. Round 2 opened with a few brief exchanges on the feet, until Fisher pushed the pace and landed a solid punch to the head. Wiman appeared dazed and stumbled just before Fisher came in with a devastating flying knee, forcing a referee stoppage at 1:43 of the second round.
The Ultimate Fighter Season 5
Wiman was a contestant on The Ultimate Fighter 5The Ultimate Fighter 5
The Ultimate Fighter 5 was the fifth season of the Ultimate Fighting Championship produced reality television series The Ultimate Fighter...
show, featuring Lightweights. He fought on B.J. Penn's team. His preliminary fight was against Marlon Sims. Wiman landed a devastating overhand right in the opening seconds of the fight, climbed on the back of Sims and choked him unconscious. Wiman was defeated by eventual finalist Manvel Gamburyan
Manvel Gamburyan
Manvel "Manny" Gamburyan is an Armenian American mixed martial artist. He was a cast member of Spike TV's The Ultimate Fighter 5. Besides The Ultimate Fighter, Gamburyan has fought for notable promotions such as King of the Cage and the Ultimate Fighting Championship.Gamburyan is fighting in the...
of Team Pulver in the quarterfinals by decision. Gamburyan and Wiman exchanged takedowns, but Gamburyan was on top most of the fight and got the victory, despite Dana White's
Dana White
Dana White is the current President of the Ultimate Fighting Championship , a mixed martial arts organization based in the United States.- Biography :...
thoughts that "Handsome" could make it to the finals of the show.
Wiman fought Brian Geraghty on June 23, 2007 on the Finale of The Ultimate Fighter 5. He took his opponent down early and worked a ground and pound attack. Wiman landed strikes in Geraghty's guard and passed to full mount, where he unloaded punches to the head, causing referee Yves Lavigne to stop the fight due to strikes on the ground at 2:09 of round 1.
Ultimate Fighting Championship (Post TUF 5)
Wiman's next fight was against Japanese JudoJudo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
ka fighter Michihiro Omigawa
Michihiro Omigawa
is a Japanese mixed martial artist and Judoka who trains out of Hidehiko Yoshida's dojo. He made it to the finals in the Sengoku Featherweight Grand Prix losing to Masanori Kanehara.-Mixed martial arts career:...
at UFC 76
UFC 76
UFC 76: Knockout was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship . The event took place on September 22, 2007 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California...
. Wiman controlled the fight with takedowns and ground control, and won a unanimous decision victory.
His next fight was against Justin Buchholz at UFC Fight Night 12
UFC Fight Night 12
UFC Fight Night: Swick vs Burkman referred to by the media as UFC Fight Night 12 was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on January 23, 2008 at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada. The main event featured former The Ultimate Fighter contestants Mike...
on January 23, 2008. Wiman scored a takedown in the opening moments of the fight and worked quickly to the mount position. He landed an elbow below the right eye of Buchholz causing a cut. The UFC newcomer turned over to avoid further strikes to the face and Wiman secured the back position. After a brief struggle to secure the rear naked choke, Wiman forced Buchholz to submit at 2:58 of the first round, giving him his third straight victory in the UFC.
Wiman's next fight was against Lightweight contender Thiago Tavares
Thiago Tavares
Thiago de Mello Tavares is a Brazilian mixed martial artist. He currently fights in the lightweight division in the UFC.-Ultimate Fighting Championship:Thiago Tavares entered the UFC with an undefeated record and was highly regarded...
at UFC 85
UFC 85
UFC 85: Bedlam was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship , on June 7, 2008 at The O2 arena in London, England.-Background:...
. After an impressive grappling exchange in round one, he eventually beat Tavares by knockout from a right hook in the second round http://www.ufc.com/index.cfm?fa=eventDetail.fightCard&eid=1109, with former Light Heavyweight Champion Chuck Liddell
Chuck Liddell
Charles David "Chuck" Liddell is a retired American mixed martial artist and former Ultimate Fighting Championship light heavyweight champion. Liddell has an extensive striking background in Kempo, Koei-Kan karate and kickboxing, as well as a grappling background in collegiate wrestling.As of his...
in his corner.
At UFC: Fight for the Troops
UFC: Fight for the Troops
UFC: Fight for the Troops, also referred to as UFC Fight Night 16, was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on December 10, 2008 at the Crown Coliseum in Fayetteville, North Carolina...
, he struggled with a physically more dominant opponent in Jim Miller
Jim Miller (fighter)
James Andrew Miller is an American mixed martial artist. He has held the Cage Fury Fighting Championships Lightweight Championship and Reality Fighting Featherweight Championship. He currently fights for the UFC's lightweight division. He is the younger brother of fellow MMA fighter Dan Miller...
and lost via unanimous decision. On April 18, 2009, Wiman faced Canadian Sam Stout
Sam Stout
Samuel James "Hands of Stone" Stout is a Canadian mixed martial artist from London, Ontario. Currently signed to the Ultimate Fighting Championship, he is primarily known as a striker with an iron chin.- Mixed martial arts career :...
at UFC 97
UFC 97
UFC 97: Redemption was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on April 18, 2009 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It broke the UFC attendance record that was set 364 days earlier in Montreal at UFC 83, by 61 people.-Preliminary card:*Light Heavyweight bout: Vinicius...
in Montreal, Quebec. In a closely contested fight, Wiman seemed hurt from a flush liver shot late in round two, but rallied and controlled Stout for the final round. Most fans were very upset with the judges decision. He lost via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28).
He was scheduled to fight Rafael dos Anjos
Rafael dos Anjos
Rafael dos Anjos is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist. Dos Anjos trains out of Evolve MMA in Brazil and Singapore and is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt under Aldo "Caveirinha" Januario de Olivera...
on September 19, 2009 at UFC 103
UFC 103
UFC 103: Franklin vs. Belfort was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on September 19, 2009 in Dallas at the American Airlines Center. The event was broadcasted on pay-per-view.-Background :...
, but was forced to withdraw because of a knee injury. He was replaced by Rob Emerson
Rob Emerson
Robert Michael Emerson is an American mixed martial artist. Emerson is a former Pancrase and King of the Cage fighter. He was a cast member of The Ultimate Fighter 5.-The Ultimate Fighter:...
.
On December 12, 2009, Wiman defeated Shane Nelson
Shane Nelson
Shane Nelson Shane Nelson Shane Nelson (born May 25, 1955 in Mathis, Texas is a former professional American football player who played linebacker for six seasons for the Buffalo Bills. Nelson was discovered at an open trial held by the Dallas Cowboys. He was the only player, out of 1,800, to be...
via unanimous decision at UFC 107
UFC 107
UFC 107: Penn vs. Sanchez was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on December 12, 2009 in Memphis, Tennessee at the FedExForum.-Background:...
(30-27, 30-27, 30-27).
Wiman defeated Mac Danzig
Mac Danzig
Mac Danzig is an American mixed martial artist, who competes as a lightweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.-Background:...
via first round submission at UFC 115
UFC 115
UFC 115: Liddell vs. Franklin was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on June 12, 2010 at General Motors Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.-Background:...
. However, the stoppage was apparently premature and mistaken as Wiman had Danzig in a tight guillotine choke
Guillotine choke
The guillotine choke is a chokehold in martial arts and wrestling applied from in front of the opponent. The choke involves using the arms to encircle the opponent's neck in a fashion similar to a guillotine. The technique is either a type of tracheal compression restraint that prevents air flow...
and referee Yves Lavigne called a stoppage despite the fact that Danzig had not submitted and was still conscious.
Wiman was expected to face Danzig again on September 15, 2010 at UFC Fight Night 22
UFC Fight Night 22
UFC Fight Night: Marquardt vs. Palhares, also known as UFC Fight Night 22 was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on September 15, 2010 at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas...
, however Danzig was forced off the card with an injury. Wiman was then set to face Efrain Escudero
Efrain Escudero
Efrain Escudero is a Mexican professional mixed martial artist. He trains under Drew Fickett and competes in the 155 lb weight class...
, but Wiman was also forced out of the bout with an injury and was replaced by Charles Oliveira
Charles Oliveira
Charles Oliveira is a Brazilian professional mixed martial artist who competes in the lightweight division. A professional MMA competitor since 2008, Oliveira has mainly fought in small Brazilian promotions until his move to the UFC.-Early career:...
.
Wiman was expected to face Cole Miller
Cole Miller
Jeremiah Cole Miller is an American mixed martial artist, currently competing in the lightweight division in the UFC. His nickname "Magrinho" means "skinny" in Portuguese....
on January 1, 2011 at UFC 125
UFC 125
UFC 125: Resolution was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on January 1, 2011 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States.-Background:...
, but the bout eventually took place on January 22, 2011 at UFC Fight Night 23. Wiman pummeled Miller for 3 consecutive rounds, resulting in a unanimous decision victory.
Wiman faced Dennis Siver
Dennis Siver
Dennis D. Siver ; born January 13, 1979) is a Russian-German mixed martial artist who competes in the lightweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. As of July 2011, Siver is ranked as the #8 lightweight fighter in the world by MMAWeekly...
on July 2, 2011 at UFC 132
UFC 132
UFC 132: Cruz vs. Faber was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on July 2, 2011 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States.-Background:UFC 132 was originally set to feature a rematch between B.J...
. He lost via unanimous decision.
Wiman won a rematch with Mac Danzig
Mac Danzig
Mac Danzig is an American mixed martial artist, who competes as a lightweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.-Background:...
via unanimous decision on October 1, 2011 at UFC on Versus 6,. The back and forth action earned Fight of the Night honors.
Personal life
Matt Wiman was born in Denver, ColoradoDenver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
and raised in Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
. He is married and now makes his home in Arvada, Colorado
Arvada, Colorado
The City of Arvada is a Home Rule Municipality located in Jefferson and Adams counties in the Denver metropolitan area of the U.S. State of Colorado. Olde Town Arvada is located northwest of the Colorado State Capitol in Denver...
. He has an older brother and three younger sisters.
Wiman has publicly voiced his appreciation to the men and women in the United States Armed Forces
United States armed forces
The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. They consist of the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard.The United States has a strong tradition of civilian control of the military...
. Matt's older brother was a Green Beret in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
, and a veteran of the war in Afghanistan
War in Afghanistan (2001–present)
The War in Afghanistan began on October 7, 2001, as the armed forces of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Afghan United Front launched Operation Enduring Freedom...
. Because of his gratitude towards the U.S. soldiers, Matt says he is proud to have fought in both UFC fundraising events for the Intrepid Fallen Heros Fund, UFC Fight for the Troops 1 at Fort Bragg in Fayetteville, North Carolina and UFC Fight for the Troops 2 at Fort Hood near Killeen, Texas.
Matt is also an advocate of food awareness and supporter of animal rights
Animal rights
Animal rights, also known as animal liberation, is the idea that the most basic interests of non-human animals should be afforded the same consideration as the similar interests of human beings...
. After his victory over Cole Miller
Cole Miller
Jeremiah Cole Miller is an American mixed martial artist, currently competing in the lightweight division in the UFC. His nickname "Magrinho" means "skinny" in Portuguese....
at UFC Fight for the Troops 2 he told Joe Rogan that he left his TV on at home and gave a shout out to his pets.
In early September 2011, while attending a high school track event in Brighton, Colorado, Matt Wiman's dad, Chip Wiman, was struck by lightning. Matt was interviewed by the local news when he picked his dad up from the hospital, "He's so lucky and blessed to survive something like that," said Matt. "We're so thankful. You know, life is so precious, you want to just enjoy everyday, every minute".
Mixed martial arts record
|-|Win
|align=center| 14-6
| Mac Danzig
Mac Danzig
Mac Danzig is an American mixed martial artist, who competes as a lightweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.-Background:...
|Decision (unanimous)
|UFC Live: Cruz vs. Johnson
UFC Live: Cruz vs. Johnson
UFC Live: Cruz vs. Johnson was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on October 1, 2011 at the Verizon Center in Washington D.C.-Background:...
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
| Washington D.C., United States
|Fight of the Night
|-
|Loss
|align=center| 13-6
|Dennis Siver
Dennis Siver
Dennis D. Siver ; born January 13, 1979) is a Russian-German mixed martial artist who competes in the lightweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. As of July 2011, Siver is ranked as the #8 lightweight fighter in the world by MMAWeekly...
|Decision (unanimous)
|UFC 132
UFC 132
UFC 132: Cruz vs. Faber was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on July 2, 2011 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States.-Background:UFC 132 was originally set to feature a rematch between B.J...
|
|align=center| 3
|align=center| 5:00
|Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|13-5
|Cole Miller
Cole Miller
Jeremiah Cole Miller is an American mixed martial artist, currently competing in the lightweight division in the UFC. His nickname "Magrinho" means "skinny" in Portuguese....
|Decision (unanimous)
|UFC: Fight For The Troops 2
UFC: Fight For The Troops 2
UFC: Fight for the Troops 2, also referred to as UFC Fight Night 23, was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on January 22, 2011 at Fort Hood, near Killeen, Texas...
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|5:00
|Fort Hood, Texas
Fort Hood, Texas
Fort Hood is a United States military post located outside of Killeen, Texas. The post is named after Confederate General John Bell Hood. It islocated halfway between Austin and Waco, about from each, within the U.S. state of Texas....
, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|12-5
|Mac Danzig
Mac Danzig
Mac Danzig is an American mixed martial artist, who competes as a lightweight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.-Background:...
|Technical Submission (guillotine choke)
|UFC 115
UFC 115
UFC 115: Liddell vs. Franklin was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on June 12, 2010 at General Motors Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.-Background:...
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|1:45
|Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|11-5
|Shane Nelson
Shane Nelson (fighter)
Shane Nelson is an American mixed martial artist. He was a cast member of SpikeTV's The Ultimate Fighter: Team Nogueira vs. Team Mir.-Mixed martial arts career:...
|Decision (unanimous)
|UFC 107
UFC 107
UFC 107: Penn vs. Sanchez was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on December 12, 2009 in Memphis, Tennessee at the FedExForum.-Background:...
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|5:00
|Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
, United States
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center|10-5
|Sam Stout
Sam Stout
Samuel James "Hands of Stone" Stout is a Canadian mixed martial artist from London, Ontario. Currently signed to the Ultimate Fighting Championship, he is primarily known as a striker with an iron chin.- Mixed martial arts career :...
|Decision (unanimous)
|UFC 97
UFC 97
UFC 97: Redemption was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on April 18, 2009 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It broke the UFC attendance record that was set 364 days earlier in Montreal at UFC 83, by 61 people.-Preliminary card:*Light Heavyweight bout: Vinicius...
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|5:00
|Montreal, Quebec, Canada
|Fight of the Night
|-
|Loss
|align=center|10-4
|Jim Miller
Jim Miller (fighter)
James Andrew Miller is an American mixed martial artist. He has held the Cage Fury Fighting Championships Lightweight Championship and Reality Fighting Featherweight Championship. He currently fights for the UFC's lightweight division. He is the younger brother of fellow MMA fighter Dan Miller...
|Decision (unanimous)
|UFC: Fight for the Troops
UFC: Fight for the Troops
UFC: Fight for the Troops, also referred to as UFC Fight Night 16, was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on December 10, 2008 at the Crown Coliseum in Fayetteville, North Carolina...
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|5:00
|Fayetteville, North Carolina
Fayetteville, North Carolina
Fayetteville is a city located in Cumberland County, North Carolina, United States. It is the county seat of Cumberland County, and is best known as the home of Fort Bragg, a U.S. Army post located northwest of the city....
, United States
|Fight of the Night
|-
|Win
|align=center|10-3
|Thiago Tavares
Thiago Tavares
Thiago de Mello Tavares is a Brazilian mixed martial artist. He currently fights in the lightweight division in the UFC.-Ultimate Fighting Championship:Thiago Tavares entered the UFC with an undefeated record and was highly regarded...
|KO (punches)
|UFC 85
UFC 85
UFC 85: Bedlam was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship , on June 7, 2008 at The O2 arena in London, England.-Background:...
|
|align=center|2
|align=center|1:57
|London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, England
|Fight of the Night
|-
|Win
|align=center|9-3
|Justin Buchholz
Justin Buchholz
Justin Buchholz is an American mixed martial artist. Buchholz graduated from Lathrop High School in 2002, where he competed in wrestling. He competes in the Lightweight division.-Mixed martial arts career:...
|Submission (rear-naked choke)
|UFC Fight Night: Swick vs Burkman
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|2:56
|Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|8-3
|Michihiro Omigawa
Michihiro Omigawa
is a Japanese mixed martial artist and Judoka who trains out of Hidehiko Yoshida's dojo. He made it to the finals in the Sengoku Featherweight Grand Prix losing to Masanori Kanehara.-Mixed martial arts career:...
|Decision (unanimous)
|UFC 76
UFC 76
UFC 76: Knockout was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship . The event took place on September 22, 2007 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California...
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|5:00
|Anaheim, California
Anaheim, California
Anaheim is a city in Orange County, California. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city population was about 365,463, making it the most populated city in Orange County, the 10th most-populated city in California, and ranked 54th in the United States...
, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|7-3
|Brian Geraghty
|TKO (punches)
|The Ultimate Fighter 5 Finale
The Ultimate Fighter 5 Finale
The Ultimate Fighter 5 Finale was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on June 23, 2007. Featured were the finals from The Ultimate Fighter 5 in the Lightweight division as well as a main event between B.J. Penn and Jens Pulver.- Preliminary card :*Lightweight...
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|2:09
|Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, United States
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center|6-3
|Spencer Fisher
Spencer Fisher
Spencer William Fisher is an American mixed martial artist from Brevard, North Carolina. He currently fights in the lightweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship promotion. He holds notable victories over Thiago Alves, Matt Wiman, Sam Stout, Jeremy Stephens, and Caol Uno...
|KO (flying knee)
|UFC 60
UFC 60
UFC 60: Hughes vs. Gracie was a mixed martial arts event held by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on May 27, 2006. The event took place at the Staples Center, in Los Angeles, California and was broadcast live on pay-per-view in the United States and Canada.-Background:Headlining the card was a...
|
|align=center|2
|align=center|1:43
|Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
, United States
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center|6-2
|Nick Agallar
|Decision (unanimous)
|MFC: Boardwalk Blitz
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|5:00
|Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...
, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|6-1
|Mark Thomas Grissom
|TKO (corner stoppage)
|XFL 18: Battle at the Brady 2
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|3:00
|Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
, United States
|
|-
|Loss
|align=center|5-1
|Roger Huerta
Roger Huerta
Roger Huerta , is an American mixed martial artist. He initially gained exposure by competing in the lightweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship and later Bellator Fighting Championships.-Early life:...
|Decision (unanimous)
|FFC 15: Fiesta Las Vegas
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|5:00
|Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|5-0
|D.J. Randall
|TKO (punches)
|XFL: Xtreme Fighting 3: Superbrawl
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|0:20
|Miami, Oklahoma
Miami, Oklahoma
Miami is a city in Ottawa County, Oklahoma, United States. As of 2009, the population estimate was 12,910. It is the county seat of Ottawa County. The city is named after the Miami tribe...
, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|4-0
|David Frank
|Submission (armbar)
|XFL: EK 14: Heavyweight Gladiators
|
|align=center|1
|align=center|0:42
|Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|3-0
|Venn Johns
|Submission (triangle choke)
|XFL: EK 13: Elimination
|
|align=center|2
|align=center|1:30
|Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|2-0
|Greg Bossler
|Decision (unanimous)
|XFL: EK 13: Elimination
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|5:00
|Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
, United States
|
|-
|Win
|align=center|1-0
|Joe Garza
|Decision (unanimous)
|XFL: EK 13: Elimination
|
|align=center|3
|align=center|5:00
|Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Tulsa is the second-largest city in the state of Oklahoma and 46th-largest city in the United States. With a population of 391,906 as of the 2010 census, it is the principal municipality of the Tulsa Metropolitan Area, a region with 937,478 residents in the MSA and 988,454 in the CSA. Tulsa's...
, United States
|