Introduction
American welterweight prospect Matt Dixon would be in action for Legacy Fighting Alliance this summer had it not been for COVID-19. He would be looking to continue his undefeated streak, as Dixon looks to eventually score a UFC contract. He represents WCF Tulsa, an unknown camp in MMA. Let’s take a closer look at this prospect as this week’s “Prospect Spotlight.”
Strengths
Grinding Grappling: Dixon is an underrated grinder, but as seen in his fights, he’s a good grappler on both offense and defense. Offensively, he’s very good at timing takedowns, especially as a counter to an opponent moving forward on him. If he can’t get his opponent down or hold them down, he’s effective in the clinch. He’s good at getting underhooks and controlling his opponent while they are against the cage. He also tires out his opponent from this position well. When he does get the fight down, he’s quite heavy and is good at controlling. Defensively, Dixon has very solid hips and quite good when defending the shot. That takedown defense helps him keep upright and stay off his back, which is important to a fighter like Dixon.
Physical Gifts: At 5’10” and in the welterweight division, Dixon is a good sized welterweight. He has average height, but he is physically gifted in terms of his frame, mass and overall strength. Often times, his explosiveness and athleticism are what drives him when he moves forward and tries to plant his opponent. He’s also quick, which helps him with on the feet in terms of movement. He’s a true athlete, which helps add to his strong overall skills.
Needs Improvement
Striking Defense: The one thing I have noticed about Dixon that needs to be worked on is his striking defense. Although he has proven that he has a solid chin and can absorb strikes, the problem is that he lets too many of those strikes through. He can leave his chin too high when he should be tucking it in. Also, sometimes his hands are too low or not in a position to defend himself from incoming strikes. This was especially seen in his fight with Justin Patterson, where he got hit with some bombs. Also, when he gets aggressive, he opens himself up to counterstrikes, which Patterson also took advantage of. As he moves up in competition, he will want to fix this, as he doesn’t want to take that kind of damage frequently.
Outlook
Upper-Mid Card UFC Fighter: At the age of 24, Dixon is the true definition of a prospect. He’s still very young, has good experience and is already quite talented. That’s what happens when you starting training MMA as a young man, as opposed to one martial art. Dixon is a good athlete, and when you combine that with his fighting skills, which are getting better every time we see him, you have a guy that will certainly be a name to know in the UFC (when he gets there). Keep your eye on this welterweight, as he could be a top-25 welterweight in a few years. Especially if he moves to a bigger, more known gym.
MMA Intel 