Kyler Phillips

Kyler John Phillips, known as "The Matrix," is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the bantamweight division of the UFC.

A native of Torrance, California, Phillips was introduced to combat sports at age three when his father brought him to the Gracie Academy. He wrestled for Temecula Valley High School while building an unbeaten amateur record, then turned professional and earned his shot at the sport's biggest stage by stopping James Gray in under a minute on Dana White's Contender Series. He further tested himself on The Ultimate Fighter before officially joining the UFC roster.

Phillips carries a decorated grappling resume. He holds a Carlson Gracie brown belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, is a 2012 IBJJF jiu-jitsu world champion at the blue-belt level, a 2010 California state judo champion, and a Nikidokai black and red belt under Hanshi Nico, adding a Southern Section CIF wrestling championship in 2013. He trains out of 2 Knuckle Sports and the MMA Lab in Arizona under coach John Crouch, alongside teammates such as Mario Bautista.

That pedigree makes Phillips a dangerous fast starter, throwing high-volume, combination-heavy striking from the opening bell while mixing in athletic wrestling and scramble-based submission hunting that gives him finishing ability everywhere the fight goes.

Inside the Octagon, Phillips has authored several standout performances. He opened his UFC run with a unanimous-decision win over Gabriel Silva, then followed it with a highlight-reel elbow stoppage of Cameron Else. He later submitted Marcelo Rojo with a triangle armbar at UFC 271, outpointed Song Yadong at UFC 259, and defeated both Raoni Barcelos and Pedro Munhoz, established gatekeepers of the division. On the regional circuit, he also delivered a first-round head-kick knockout of Emeka Ifekandu en route to the UFC.

The nickname "The Matrix" stems from Phillips' habit of wearing all-black fight-week attire reminiscent of Keanu Reeves' Neo, and it also captures his description of his career as a continual "unfolding" — a steady refinement of grappling, conditioning, and striking that has made him one of the most technically diverse fighters in the UFC bantamweight ranks.