Matt Schnell

Matthew Christopher Schnell (born January 15, 1990) is an American former professional mixed martial artist who competed in the Flyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Schnell formerly competed for Legacy Fighting Alliance, where he is a former Legacy Fighting Alliance Flyweight Champion.

Mixed martial arts career

Caged In 2012, Schnell was one of the young MMA fighters featured in Caged - an MTV reality television series. The show focused on four prospective MMA fighters in small-town Louisiana. Schnell was one of the two fighters on the show, alongside Tony Kelley, to later fight professionally.

Legacy Fighting Championship Schnell joined Legacy Fighting Championship in 2012 and went 9–2 in various promotions before joining the cast of The Ultimate Fighter, season 24.

The Ultimate Fighter: Tournament of Champions On May 11, 2016, the UFC announced that the 16 contestants for The Ultimate Fighter: Tournament of Champions would be flyweight champion fighters from various organizations around the world, with the winner being expected to have a chance to fight for the flyweight title against Demetrious Johnson. Schnell was announced as part of the cast in July and selected for Team Cejudo.

In the first round on the show, Schnell seeded at #6 faced #11 Matt Rizzo and defeated him in the second round via a triangle choke submission. Schnell advanced to the quarterfinals and faced #3 seed Tim Elliott. He lost the fight via first-round submission due to a bulldog choke.

Ultimate Fighting Championship After his stint on The Ultimate Fighter, Schnell was chosen as one of the cast mates to get a contract. Schnell fought Rob Font in the bantamweight division at The Ultimate Fighter: Tournament of Champions Finale. He lost the fight via TKO in the first round.

Schnell returned to the flyweight division and faced Hector Sandoval on April 22, 2017, at UFC Fight Night 108. He lost the fight via knockout in the first round.

Schnell next fought on October 7, 2017, at UFC 216 against Marco Beltrán. He won the fight by unanimous decision.

Schnell faced Naoki Inoue on June 23, 2018, at UFC Fight Night 132. He won the fight via split decision.

Schnell faced Louis Smolka in a bantamweight bout on March 9, 2019, at UFC Fight Night 146. He won the fight via a triangle choke submission in the first round.

As the first fight of his new, four-fight contract, Schnell faced Jordan Espinosa on August 3, 2019, at UFC on ESPN 5. He won the fight via a triangle choke submission in the first round. The win also earned Schnell his first Performance of the Night bonus award.

Schnell faced Alexandre Pantoja on December 21, 2019, at UFC Fight Night 165. He lost the fight via first-round knockout.

Schnell was expected to face Tyson Nam on September 12, 2020, at UFC Fight Night 183. However, Schnell was removed from the fight on the day of the event's weigh-in for health issues related to his weight cut. As a result, the fight was cancelled. The bout with Nam was first rescheduled to UFC Fight Night 183, on December 19, 2020, and then to UFC on ESPN 20, on January 20, 2021. He won the bout by split decision.

As the first fight of his new multi-fight contract, Schnell was scheduled to meet Alex Perez May 15, 2021, at UFC 262. However, Perez pulled out of the fight for undisclosed reasons and was replaced by Rogério Bontorin. At the weigh ins, Bontorin weighed in at 137 pounds, 1 pound over the bantamweight non-title fight limit. The bout proceeded at catchweight and Bontorin was fined 20% of his individual purse, which went to Schnell. Schnell lost the bout via unanimous decision.

The bout with Perez was rescheduled and was expected to take place on August 28, 2021, at UFC on ESPN 30. However, for undisclosed reason the bout was moved to UFC Fight Night 191. However, the bout was yet again postponed for unknown reasons to UFC 269. At the weigh-ins Alex Perez weighed in at 126.25 pounds, a quarter-pound over the flyweight non-title fight limit. Shortly after the weigh-ins, officials had announced that the bout had been cancelled due Schnell was forced to withdraw from the event due to a medical issue. The pair was rescheduled to UFC 271 on February 12, 2022. At weigh-ins, Perez came in at 128 pounds and did not attempt to try again, resulting in Matt Schnell refusing to take the catchweight bout and the bout being scrapped.

Schnell faced Brandon Royval on May 7, 2022, at UFC 274. He lost the back-and-forth fight via a guillotine choke submission in the first round. The fight also won both men the Fight of the Night bonus award.

Schnell faced Su Mudaerji on July 16, 2022, at UFC on ABC 3. After getting hit and wobbled by multiple flush punches and elbow strikes, Schnell gained top position and came back to win the bout via technical submission with a triangle choke in the second round. This win earned both fighters the Fight of the Night bonus award.

Schnell faced Matheus Nicolau on December 3, 2022, at UFC on ESPN 42. He lost the bout via knockout in the second round.

Schnell was scheduled to face David Dvořák on June 10, 2023, at UFC 289. However, Schnell pulled out due to injury and was replaced by Stephen Erceg.

Schnell was scheduled to face Steve Erceg on November 11, 2023, at UFC 295. However, Schnell withdrew from the bout for unknown reasons and was replaced by Alessandro Costa. He was rescheduled to face Erceg on March 2, 2024, at UFC Fight Night 238. Schnell suffered his second consecutive knockout and lost the bout in the second round from a left-hook.

Schnell was scheduled to face Alessandro Costa on September 7, 2024, at UFC Fight Night 242. However, in under one week before the event, Costa withdrew from the bout due to a shoulder injury and was replaced by Cody Durden in a bantamweight bout. Schnell lost the fight via a ninja choke submission in the second round. Following the bout, Schnell left his gloves in the center of the octagon signaling his retirement from MMA. He won the fight by unanimous decision.

Schnell faced Joseph Morales on November 8, 2025, at UFC Fight Night 264. He lost the fight via guillotine choke submission in the first round.

Schnell was scheduled to face Imanol Rodríguez on June 6, 2026 at UFC Fight Night 278. However, Rodríguez withdrew nine days before the event and was replaced by Alessandro Costa in a catchweight of 130 pounds. Schnell lost the fight by technical knockout in the first round.

On June 7, 2026 following his loss, Schnell announced his retirement once again from mixed martial arts competition.

Personal life Schnell and his wife Morgan have a daughter (born 2020).

Championships and accomplishments Ultimate Fighting Championship Performance of the Night (One time) Fight of the Night (Two times) UFC Honors Awards 2022: President's Choice Fight of the Year Nominee & Fan's Choice Comeback of the Year Nominee UFC.com Awards 2022: Ranked #5 Fight of the Year & Ranked #7 Submission of the Year Legacy Fighting Alliance Legacy FC Flyweight champion (one time; former) MMA Fighting 2022 Second Team MMA All-Star

Mixed martial arts record Loss

Alessandro Costa TKO (punches) UFC Fight Night: Muhammad vs. Bonfim

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Loss

Joseph Morales Submission (guillotine choke) UFC Fight Night: Bonfim vs. Brown

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Win

Jimmy Flick Decision (unanimous) UFC on ESPN: Machado Garry vs. Prates

Kansas City, Missouri, United States Loss

Cody Durden Submission (ninja choke) UFC Fight Night: Burns vs. Brady

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Loss

Steve Erceg KO (punch) UFC Fight Night: Rozenstruik vs. Gaziev

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Loss

Matheus Nicolau KO (punches) UFC on ESPN: Thompson vs. Holland

Orlando, Florida, United States Win

Su Mudaerji Technical Submission (triangle choke) UFC on ABC: Ortega vs. Rodríguez

Elmont, New York, United States Loss

Brandon Royval Submission (guillotine choke) UFC 274

Phoenix, Arizona, United States NC

Rogério Bontorin NC (overturned) UFC 262

Houston, Texas, United States Win

Tyson Nam Decision (split) UFC on ESPN: Chiesa vs. Magny

Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates Loss

Alexandre Pantoja KO (punches) UFC Fight Night: Edgar vs. The Korean Zombie

Busan, South Korea Win

Jordan Espinosa Submission (triangle choke) UFC on ESPN: Covington vs. Lawler

Newark, New Jersey, United States Win

Louis Smolka Submission (triangle choke) UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. dos Santos

Wichita, Kansas, United States Win

Naoki Inoue Decision (split) UFC Fight Night: Cowboy vs. Edwards

Kallang, Singapore Win

Marco Beltrán Decision (unanimous) UFC 216

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Loss

Hector Sandoval KO (punches) UFC Fight Night: Swanson vs. Lobov

Nashville, Tennessee, United States Loss

Rob Font KO (knee and punches) The Ultimate Fighter: Tournament of Champions Finale

Las Vegas, Nevada, United States Win

Klayton Mai Submission (armbar) Legacy FC 52

Lake Charles, Louisiana, United States Win

Jonathan Martinez DQ (illegal knee) Legacy FC 49

Bossier City, Louisiana, United States Win

Vanderlei Carvalho Leite KO (punches) Legacy FC 42

Lake Charles, Louisiana, United States Win

Albert Tapia Submission (armbar) Legacy FC: Legacy Kickboxing 2

Shreveport, Louisiana, United States Win

Chris Myers Submission (guillotine choke) Caged Warrior Championship 6

Houma, Louisiana, United States Win

Thomas Coleman Submission (inverted triangle choke) Summit FC 10

Tupelo, Mississippi, United States Win

Latral Perdue KO (punch) Global Fighting Alliance 27

Bossier City, Louisiana, United States Loss

Klayton Mai Submission (guillotine choke) Legacy FC 32

Bossier City, Louisiana, United States Win

Roger Reyes Submission (guillotine choke) World FC 17

Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States Loss

Elias Garcia Decision (majority) Legacy FC 20

Corpus Christi, Texas, United States Win

Marcus Dupar Submission (armbar) Legacy FC 15

Houston, Texas, United States, Win

Ryan Hollis Decision (split) Legacy FC 14

Houston, Texas, United States,

Mixed martial arts exhibition record Loss

Tim Elliott Submission (guillotine choke)

Win

Matt Rizzo Submission (triangle choke)