5 Things You Might Not Know About Matt Frevola

Matt Frevola’s propensity for violence makes him a must-see attraction in the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s snake pit of a lightweight division.

The well-regarded 34-year-old will toe the line against Fares Ziam in a featured UFC Fight Night 243 attraction this Saturday at Accor Arena in Paris. Frevola steps up to the plate with wins in three of his past four appearances. However, he has not competed since being unwound by a Benoit St. Denis head kick at UFC 295 on Nov. 11. The ill-fated encounter lasted just 91 seconds.

As Frevola moves ever closer to his forthcoming clash with Ziam at 155 pounds, here are five things you might not know about him:

1. He will never be the most famous person from his hometown.

Frevola was born on June 11, 1990 in Huntington, New York—a Long Island city of some 200,000 people situated 40 miles from The Big Apple. He shares a birthplace with “The Karate Kid” star Ralph Macchio and legendary American poet Walt Whitman.

2. He put a safety net in place.

A University of Tampa graduate, Frevola holds a bachelor’s degree in criminology. Plenty of other notable alumni have attended the Tampa, Florida, school, including ex-New York Yankees first baseman Tino Martinez and former professional wrestlers Joanie “Chyna” Laurer, “Mr. Wonderful” Paul Orndorff and “Dirty” Dick Slater.

3. A live-by-the-sword-die-by-the-sword approach has marked his rise.

More than half of Frevola’s 16 professional bouts have concluded inside one round. They include his 55-second guillotine choke submission of Trent McDade at a Real Fighting Championships show on July 22, 2016 and a seven-second knockout loss to Terrance McKinney at UFC 263 on June 12, 2021.

4. Expertise surrounds him.

A member of the United States Army Reserve, Frevola operates out of the famed Serra-Longo Fight Team camp in his native New York. There, he hones his skills under the watchful eye of former UFC welterweight titleholder Matt Serra and striking guru Ray Longo. In addition to Serra, the gym has produced three other UFC champions: Chris Weidman, Aljamain Sterling and Merab Dvalishvili. Frevola also trains extensively with “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 7 semifinalist Matt Arroyo at Gracie Tampa South.

5. He does not get out much.

Frevola has fought only once outside of the continental United States. He dropped a unanimous decision to Arman Tsarukyan at UFC 257 on Jan. 23, 2021 in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.