Dana White provides update on Matt Wiman, reacts to brutal slam KO

UFC president Dana White provided an update on veteran lightweight Matt Wiman after he suffered a brutal slam KO loss to Jordan Leavitt.

In the opening main card fight at Saturday’s UFC Vegas 16 event, Leavitt picked Wiman up, carried him across the Octagon, and knocked him out with a devastating slam just 23 seconds into their fight. It was an absolutely brutal KO, as Wiman was knocked out cold the second his head came down against the canvas. For Leavitt, it was an incredible victory in his UFC debut, as he became only the 12th fighter in the promotion’s history to win a fight with a slam KO. It’s the kind of knockout that earned him a $50,000 bonus.

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Following UFC Vegas 16, White was asked for an update on Wiman, the long-time UFC veteran, following the devastating loss to Leavitt. White said that “Handsome” is okay but admitted that the sound of his head hitting the Octagon floor was tough to hear.

Dana White says Matt Wiman is ok #UFCVegas16 pic.twitter.com/cvboHYk8ND

— Helen Yee (@HelenYeeSports) December 6, 2020

“It was a very weird sound in there tonight when he hit (the canvas). It was weird. Glad he’s ok, though,” White said.

Wiman has lost three straight fights since returning to the UFC in 2019 following a five-year hiatus from MMA. From 2014 to 2018, Wiman didn’t fight at all. In 2019, he returned to the Octagon and suffered a TKO loss to Luis Pena and then a decision loss to Joe Solecki followed by this KO loss to Leavitt. With the UFC saying that there are going to be 60 fighters cut in the next few weeks, it stands to figure Wiman could be released.

If this is the end of Wiman’s UFC career, it was certainly a good one overall. Since joining the UFC roster in 2006, Wiman has racked up a 10-8 record inside the Octagon. He won four bonuses for “Fight of the Night” during his UFC run and another for “Submission of the Night.” At one point in time, he was one of the most exciting fighters in the sport.

Do you think Dana White should tell Matt Wiman to retire after this brutal KO loss?