Kyler Phillips
Matrix
USA
Comes up short in close fight
Phillips lost to Charles Jourdain via unanimous decision (28-29, 28-29, 28-29) at UFC Fight Night 273 on Saturday in Winnipeg.
ANALYSIS
The night couldn't have started better for Phillips, who marched across the cage and secured a takedown to begin Round 1. "Matrix" controlled the fight on the ground, thwarting submission attempts and executing mat returns en route to 3:51 of control time. While Phillips found success in wrestling throughout the fight, Jourdain was much better at returning to his feet in frames two and three, which forced the 30-year-old to contend with his opponent's incredible pace and striking. Phillips looked confused when the decision was read in Jourdain's favor, but he was outstruck numerically, in addition to being cut open in the pivotal third frame. Phillips likes to drown opponents with offense, but he met his match here and is now riding a three-fight losing streak. Phillips fell to 12-5-0 in professional MMA due to the loss. He'll at least go home with an extra $100,000, as this bout was later awarded Fight of the Night honors.
The night couldn't have started better for Phillips, who marched across the cage and secured a takedown to begin Round 1. "Matrix" controlled the fight on the ground, thwarting submission attempts and executing mat returns en route to 3:51 of control time. While Phillips found success in wrestling throughout the fight, Jourdain was much better at returning to his feet in frames two and three, which forced the 30-year-old to contend with his opponent's incredible pace and striking. Phillips looked confused when the decision was read in Jourdain's favor, but he was outstruck numerically, in addition to being cut open in the pivotal third frame. Phillips likes to drown opponents with offense, but he met his match here and is now riding a three-fight losing streak. Phillips fell to 12-5-0 in professional MMA due to the loss. He'll at least go home with an extra $100,000, as this bout was later awarded Fight of the Night honors.
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Booked for April fight
Phillips is fighting Charles Jourdain at a UFC event in Winnipeg on April 18, Aaron Bronsteter of TSN.ca reports.
ANALYSIS
Phillips is looking to pick up a statement win after dropping his last two fights, his most recent one being last July. His opponent has won both fights since dropping down to the bantamweight division towards the end of 2024.
Phillips is looking to pick up a statement win after dropping his last two fights, his most recent one being last July. His opponent has won both fights since dropping down to the bantamweight division towards the end of 2024.
Fades following fast start
Phillips lost to Vinicius Oliveira via unanimous decision (28-29, 28-29, 28-29) at UFC 318 on Saturday in New Orleans.
ANALYSIS
Phillips is an extremely quick starter, but he has cardio issues and was was facing an opponent here in Oliveira that literally never stops moving forward. It was a bad combination and played out exactly that way inside the Octagon. All the good work Phillips did in Round 1 was negated as soon as he was dropped early in Round 2. He managed to steady the ship to some extent in the final frame, but it certainly wasn't enough to win a decision. Kyler won three straight from February 2022 to March 2024, but he's now lost two straight, with the first one coming as a -650 favorite against Rob Font last October. Phillips is at risk of torpedoing down the rankings in a hurry in the loaded bantamweight division.
Phillips is an extremely quick starter, but he has cardio issues and was was facing an opponent here in Oliveira that literally never stops moving forward. It was a bad combination and played out exactly that way inside the Octagon. All the good work Phillips did in Round 1 was negated as soon as he was dropped early in Round 2. He managed to steady the ship to some extent in the final frame, but it certainly wasn't enough to win a decision. Kyler won three straight from February 2022 to March 2024, but he's now lost two straight, with the first one coming as a -650 favorite against Rob Font last October. Phillips is at risk of torpedoing down the rankings in a hurry in the loaded bantamweight division.
Taking on Oliveira
Phillips will face Vinicius Oliveira in a bantamweight bout at UFC 318 on July 1, per Marcel Dorff of Eurosport.nl.
ANALYSIS
Phillips is coming off a tough loss to Rob Font in which he was a heavy favorite. Now sporting a 6-2 record in the UFC, he'll face Oliveira, who is off to a perfect 3-0 start in the UFC and hasn't lost a professional bout since July of 2022.
Phillips is coming off a tough loss to Rob Font in which he was a heavy favorite. Now sporting a 6-2 record in the UFC, he'll face Oliveira, who is off to a perfect 3-0 start in the UFC and hasn't lost a professional bout since July of 2022.
Falls as biggest favorite on card
Phillips lost to Rob Font via unanimous decision (28-29, 28-29, 28-29) at UFC Fight night on Saturday in Las Vegas.
ANALYSIS
That will do it in terms of Phillips making a rise up the ranks of a loaded bantamweight division. You don't fall as a -650 favorite, largest on the entire card, and live to tell about it. Kyler was fresh and effective for a round before gassing out. He did land four takedowns, but was primarily unable to pin Font to the mat, which is highly concerning because that's essentially been Rob's greatest flaw in the past. This performance makes you wonder whether Phillips simply made a name for himself beating up on lesser competition. The defeat snaps a three-fight winning streak for the 29-year-old Arizona native.
That will do it in terms of Phillips making a rise up the ranks of a loaded bantamweight division. You don't fall as a -650 favorite, largest on the entire card, and live to tell about it. Kyler was fresh and effective for a round before gassing out. He did land four takedowns, but was primarily unable to pin Font to the mat, which is highly concerning because that's essentially been Rob's greatest flaw in the past. This performance makes you wonder whether Phillips simply made a name for himself beating up on lesser competition. The defeat snaps a three-fight winning streak for the 29-year-old Arizona native.
Taking on Font
Phillips will take on Rob Font in a bantamweight showdown at a UFC event on Oct. 19 in Las Vegas, Nolan King of USA Today reports.
ANALYSIS
Phillips will take on the reeling font, who has dropped four of his last five contests. Phillips, meanwhile, has won three straight and most recently defeated Pedro Munhoz via unanimous decision back in March. He'll look to stay hot, while his much more experienced opponent will look to simply climb back into the win column.
Phillips will take on the reeling font, who has dropped four of his last five contests. Phillips, meanwhile, has won three straight and most recently defeated Pedro Munhoz via unanimous decision back in March. He'll look to stay hot, while his much more experienced opponent will look to simply climb back into the win column.