After Two-Year Layoff, “Handsome” Matt Wiman Is Back

After being absent from mixed martial arts for nearly two years “Handsome” Matt Wiman returned to the cage last week at UFC Fight Night 57 in Austin, Texas. Wiman, a UFC veteran with a decade of experience to his credit, made it clear that leading up to this fight his nerves had reached an all time high. Even with his nerves peaking, Wiman found a way to gain calmness before he entered the cage; with his nerves in check, Wiman would walk away from the fight victorious. After the fight, he did not spout off about how well he performed, he didn’t thank any sponsors. He didn’t even call anyone out. Coming back to the UFC after a two-year layoff and not missing a beat is a feat that would have many fighters over the moon. Wiman, on the other hand, appeared proud and pleased but that was about all. Many have grown to expect that type of reaction from the “Handsome” one after a win. Wiman is known as a very private fighter. He does not actively use social media and rarely does interviews. But when one of the most exciting fighters from the lightweight division makes a comeback after an extended layoff fight fans hope for more. The problem is, with a guy like Matt Wiman, they won’t likely get it.

Matt Wiman is a hard man to pin down. He doesn’t want to do a lot of press because he does not like the idea of promoting himself. He has been known to go off topic during interviews and tries to steer clear from self-promotion. Wiman recently appeared on the popular podcast, The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, and mentioned that if he wasn’t forced to do press for the event he likely would not have done one interview leading up to the fight. Wiman clearly walks a different path than most fighters in the UFC. Not only does he avoid interviews and stay away from social media, he has also decided to not have sponsorship from companies for his fights. He does not walk to the ring in a Matt Wiman walkout shirt; he does not have a banner with ads or images. Wiman believes that the end does not justify the mean with regard to sponsorship and chooses to not deal with the advertisers or the people they align themselves with. However, this is just another thing that makes him such a polarizing figure.

During his two year hiatus, Matt Wiman made two major changes in regard to his life and career. First, he let himself heal up before getting right back to fighting. No longer would he putting off minor surgeries that he might need and instead he would allow nagging injuries to heal in full. Secondly, Wiman made a huge decision to move from Denver, Colorado to Portland, Oregon, where he would begin training with Rose City Fight Club. The team at Rose City Fight Club is full of top-level wrestlers and the influence they’ve had on Wiman’s fight game was clear in his recent win. With those two major steps taken, Matt Wiman can get back to being a one of the top lightweights in the world. Where he falls in the rankings is debatable. Some have said he is a top 10 lightweight while others point to his handful of losses as inconsistent, claiming he might never crack the top 10. No matter where he ranks, Wiman has always been an exciting fighter with a well-rounded game. Where he goes to from here…who knows? The one thing we can bank on is that he will do it his way, no questions asked.