Matt Lindland

Matthew James Lindland (born May 17, 1970), is an American retired mixed martial artist, Olympic wrestler, speaker, actor, coach, entrepreneur, and politician. He won the Oregon Republican Party's nomination for the Oregon House of Representatives, District 52 seat on May 20, 2008. He also started an apparel company named Dirty Boxer. In mixed martial arts, Lindland competed primarily in the Middleweight division for the UFC, Strikeforce. Affliction, the IFL, Cage Rage, the WFA, and BodogFIGHT.

Wrestling Lindland started wrestling at age 15 at Gladstone High School in Gladstone, Oregon. In 1991, he won the junior college 158 lbs national title wrestling for Clackamas Community College.

Lindland then went on to wrestle at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln in Division I of the NCAA. He won the Big Eight title at 158 in 1993. Following up that title, he had a record of 36-0 for the 1993 season going into the National Tournament, and was the #1 ranked wrestler for his weight class. He suffered an upset in the first round of the tournament, however, and did not place. Following his college career Lindland began to compete in both Freestyle and Greco-Roman events, finding success in both but ultimately deciding to concentrate on the Greco-Roman style.

The high point of his career was when he represented the United States in Greco-Roman Wrestling at the 2000 Summer Olympics in the 69–76 kg weight category, winning the silver medal, followed by a silver medal at the 2001 World Championships in Patras, Greece at 85 kg. His mixed martial arts career had actually started three years prior, having fought at events such as IVC 6, and it is notable that he continued to compete in amateur wrestling as well as mma following his Olympic competition. Following his first UFC match, at UFC 29, Lindland managed to secure a silver medal at the world championships and a U.S. National title in 2001. He was still a top 10 ranked wrestler in his weight class for the nation until 2004, when his wrestling career finally came to an end, already being a veteran of over a dozen MMA fights as well, including competing in a title match.

Lindland was notable for having secured his spot on the US Olympic team through the courts. In the finals of the United States Olympic trials, Lindland lost to Keith Sieracki, whom Lindland had accused of tripping him (under the rules of Greco-Roman wrestling, athletes are not permitted the use of their legs for advantage in defense of offensive moves). After appealing, an arbitrator ordered a rematch for Lindland and Sieracki, which Lindland won 9–0.

The USOC however sought to keep Sieracki on the team, and appealed in federal court. A federal district judge, then a three-judge panel of the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, both decided in Lindland's favor. A request for a hearing by the USOC in the Supreme Court of the United States was denied, which settled Lindland's status on the team. After the Olympics Lindland returned to Oregon where he would open a used car dealership named "USA Auto Wholesale".

In 2025, Lindland was honored as a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.

Mixed martial arts Lindland started mixed martial arts training with Randy Couture, Dan Henderson and others at Team Quest. He won four fights in the middleweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship before losing to Murilo Bustamante in a championship match at UFC 37.

Lindland's next loss came at the hands of Falaniko Vitale, who Lindland attempted to slam, only to knock himself out in the process. After his dismissal from the UFC, Lindland continued to corner fighters at UFC events such as in B.J. Penn's bout against Georges St-Pierre. He has also continued his professional MMA career in IFL and BodogFight with five wins and two losses, with the two losses coming outside of his weightclass against the future UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Quinton Jackson and the former Pride Heavyweight Champion Fedor Emelianenko. After his World Fighting Alliance loss to Jackson, Lindland joined the International Fight League, which also marked Lindland's debut as an IFL team coach – he fought against Jeremy Horn. Lindland won by TKO early in the second round. He then beat Carlos Newton at IFL Houston at the 1:43 mark of Round 2 by submission due to guillotine choke. Lindland defeated Fabio Negao via unanimous decision on July 19, 2008 at Affliction: Banned in Anaheim, California. At Affliction: Day of Reckoning on January 24, 2009, he was defeated by Vitor Belfort. Lindland is the former coach of the Portland Wolfpack in the International Fight League.

Strikeforce On April 13, 2009, Lindland signed a three-fight deal with Strikeforce and made his debut against Ronaldo Souza at Strikeforce: Evolution on December 19, 2009. Lindland lost the fight via first-round submission by way of arm triangle choke.

Lindland headlined Strikeforce Challengers 8 on May 21, 2010, in his hometown of Portland, Oregon, defeating Kevin Casey.

He fought Robbie Lawler at Strikeforce: Henderson vs. Babalu II on December 4, 2010. Lindland was knocked out fifty seconds into the first round.

Post-Strikeforce Lindland was choked unconscious by Mamed Khalidov at KSW 16.

There is currently a documentary called "Fighting Politics" about Lindland and his MMA career.

In addition, he is a "Mixed Martial Arts Management" instructor for the online sports career training school, Sports Management Worldwide, in Portland, Oregon. In 2021, Lindland was promoted to the rank of black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, by Renzo Gracie.

Personal life and politics

Matt Lindland and his wife Angie have two children, a son, Big Jim, and a daughter. Since retiring from MMA Lindland has pursued other sports such as professional rafting, achieving an impressive six time Western White Water Series Championship thus far. He is the 2013 World Team Greco-Roman head coach as well as Head Coach at Team Quest. He does seminars all over the world as well as public speaking.

On March 11, 2008, Lindland filed as a Republican to run for the Oregon House of Representatives in District 52. The seat was formerly held by Republican Patti Smith. Lindland defeated fellow Republican Phyllis Thiemann in the May 20, 2008 primary, 58 to 42 percent. He advanced to the general election and was defeated by Hood River, Oregon Democrat Suzanne VanOrman by around 52% to Lindland's 48%.

Film and television Lindland appears in the award-winning MMA documentary Fight Life, released in 2013. The film was directed by James Z. Feng and produced by RiLL Films.

Matt Lindland and Ed Herman guest starred on the TV series Leverage on July 22, 2011. Lindland played an MMA fighter.

Lindland has also appeared in the HBO hit television show Oz, acting and performing stunts. He was also featured in the Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen film New York Minute, again acting and performing stunts.

Coaching Lindland founded the North West kids wrestling program and coached at two of the top wrestling clubs in the U.S.: Cobra Wrestling and Peninsula. That same year, he also started working with Chael Sonnen at West Linn High School. In 1996, Lindland moved back to Lincoln, Nebraska to take a job as an assistant wrestling coach at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln where he coached until 2000. During his tenure at Nebraska, Lindland coached NCAA champions and multiple All-Americans. He continues to work with USA Wrestling to this day.

In 2000, Lindland started coaching wrestling and MMA at his Team Quest gym in Portland, Oregon. He is still coaching wrestling, kickboxing, MMA, and the professional and amateur fight teams at Team Quest. In 2013 he was selected as the World team coach for the US Greco-Roman wrestling team.

Lindland is a volunteer assistant coach at his alma mater, Clackamas Community College. The program has taken a U-turn under the coaching of Coach Josh Rhoden and Matt Lindland, placing high in the NJCAA National Tournament in recent years.

Hall of Fame In October 2013 Matt Lindland was inducted into the Alan & Gloria Rice Greco-Roman Hall of Champions inside the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum in Waterloo, Iowa.

Lindland was inducted as a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2025.

Championships and accomplishments International Fighting Championship IFC 6 Tournament winner Ultimate Fighting Championship UFC Encyclopedia Awards Fight of the Night (Two times) UFC.com Awards 2005: Ranked #8 Submission of the Year MMA Fighting 2003 Middleweight Fighter of the Year

Mixed martial arts record Loss

Mamed Khalidov Technical Submission (guillotine choke) KSW 16: Khalidov vs. Lindland

Gdańsk, Poland Loss

Robbie Lawler KO (punches) Strikeforce: Henderson vs. Babalu II

St Louis, Missouri, United States Win

Kevin Casey TKO (punches) Strikeforce Challengers: Lindland vs. Casey

Portland, Oregon, United States Loss

Ronaldo Souza Submission (arm-triangle choke) Strikeforce: Evolution

San Jose, California, United States Loss

Vitor Belfort KO (punches) Affliction: Day of Reckoning

Anaheim, California, United States Win

Fabio Nascimento Decision (unanimous) Affliction: Banned

Anaheim, California, United States Loss

Fedor Emelianenko Submission (armbar) BodogFIGHT: Clash of the Nations

St. Petersburg, Russia Win

Carlos Newton Submission (guillotine choke) IFL: Houston

Houston, Texas, United States Win

Jeremy Horn TKO (punches) IFL: Portland

Portland, Oregon, United States Loss

Quinton Jackson Decision (split) WFA: King of the Streets

Los Angeles, California, United States Win

Mike Van Arsdale Submission (guillotine choke) Raze MMA: Fight Night

San Diego, California, United States Win

Fabio Leopoldo Submission (rear-naked choke) GFC: Gracie vs. Hammer House

Columbus, Ohio, United States Win

Antonio Schembri TKO (punches) Cage Rage 14

London, England, UK Win

Joe Doerksen Decision (unanimous) UFC 54: Boiling Point

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Win

Travis Lutter Submission (guillotine choke) UFC 52: Couture vs Liddell

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Win

Landon Showalter Submission (armbar) Sportfight 8: Justice

Gresham, Oregon, United States Win

Mark Weir TKO (doctor stoppage) Cage Rage 9

London, England, United Kingdom Loss

David Terrell KO (punches) UFC 49

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Win

Tony Fryklund Decision (unanimous) ROTR 5: Rumble on the Rock 5

Honolulu, Hawaii, United States Win

Falaniko Vitale TKO (submission to strikes) UFC 45

Uncasville, Connecticut, United States Loss

Falaniko Vitale KO (slam) UFC 43

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Win

Phil Baroni Decision (unanimous) UFC 41

Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States Win

Ivan Salaverry Decision (unanimous) UFC 39

Uncasville, Connecticut, United States Loss

Murilo Bustamante Submission (guillotine choke) UFC 37

Bossier City, Louisiana, United States Win

Pat Miletich TKO (punches) UFC 36

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Win

Phil Baroni Decision (majority) UFC 34

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Win

Ricardo Almeida DQ (illegal up-kicks) UFC 31

Atlantic City, New Jersey, United States Win

Yoji Anjo TKO (punches) UFC 29

Tokyo, Japan Win

Travis Fulton Submission (choke) IFC 6: Battle at the Four Bears

New Town, North Dakota, United States Win

Mark Waters TKO (submission to punches) IFC 6: Battle at the Four Bears

New Town, North Dakota, United States Win

Karo Davtyan TKO (punches) World Fighting Federation

Birmingham, Alabama, United States Submission grappling ADCC World Submission Wrestling Championships

Record of opponents:

Won: Yushin Okami Lost: Ronaldo 'Jacare' Souza, Fabricio Werdum (armbar)

Folkstyle wrestling

NJCAA Collegiate Championships 1991 158 lbs: 1st place NCAA Division 1 Tournament Seed 1993 163 lbs: #1 seed; did not place

Freestyle wrestling

USA University Freestyle Championships 1992 163 lbs: 1st place 1994 163 lbs: 1st place

Greco-Roman wrestling

USA Senior Greco-Roman Championships 1995 163 lbs: 1st place 1998 167.5 lbs: 1st place 1999 167.5 lbs: 1st place 2000 167.5 lbs: 1st place 2001 187.2 lbs: 1st place

FILA World Championships 1998 167 lbs: 6th place 2001 187 lbs: 2nd place

US Olympics 2000 167.5 lbs: silver medal