Throughout his journey in the world of mixed martial arts, Matthew Semelsberger has referenced climbing the ladder of the sport’s levels, even within the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
The Urbana High graduate and intense freestyle brawler stunningly broke into the sport’s top promotion in the summer of 2020 just three years after his first professional fight.
But recently, after going 5-6 over four years as a welterweight (170 pounds), he got knocked down the ladder. A loser of four straight bouts, Semelsberger announced Saturday in an Instagram post that he was cut from the UFC’s vaunted roster.
The post includes a video montage of his moments in the famed Octagon and a message from “Semi the Jedi,” who has never shied away from taking long, deep looks at himself as a person and fighter.
“Officially released from the UFC,” Semelsberger wrote. “Par for the course, I don’t deserve to be there with the best of the best, and I’ve shown that these last few fights in particular. Everyone hits plateaus & filters in life and in their careers. It’s happened many times in my life and I’ve tasted the pain of both discipline and regret in succeeding or failing to climb levels. The whole [idea] you either die a hero or live to become the enemy rings true to me because life is a [series] of metaphorical deaths and rebirths.”
When he made his UFC debut with a three-round unanimous decision over Carlton Minus on Aug. 22, 2020, Semelsberger became just the seventh Marylander to fight in the UFC in the modern era (since 2000).
Appearing mostly on undercards in Las Vegas, the former Urbana High and Marist College football standout went on to make some UFC history by registering a pair of knockouts inside of 20 seconds with his powderkeg of a right hand.
Semelsberger (11-8 overall) buried Jason Witt with it in 16 seconds on March 13, 2021, then did the same in 15 seconds to Martin Sano on Sept. 25, 2021.
But as his exciting style started to attract attention while he continued pushing to become a more complete fighter, Semelsberger endured struggles that included defeats. His competition got better. Flashes of his explosive hands were evident nearly every time he stepped into the cage, but so were glimpses of what he had left to master.
The most complete fight Semelsberger put together in the UFC came when he delivered a three-round beating to Jake Matthews that included a trio of knockdowns with his potent right hand.
But also on display that night was a bugaboo that plagued Semi repeatedly, whether he won or lost. If he sent his foe to the canvas, perhaps even in a heap of semi-consciousness, Semelsberger wasn’t able to follow up with definitive fight-ending sequences, allowing the affairs to continue and leaving decisions in the judges’ hands.
Some simple words — which were superimposed over the footage of his fights on the social-media post — summed up the story of his UFC tenure: “Gave some beatings. Took some beatings.”
Other than Semelsberger’s split-second knockout wins, perhaps his most memorable fight was a unanimous decision loss to Alex Morono on July 31, 2022.
Likely trailing on the judges’ cards after the first two rounds, Semelsberger prepared for the third and final round — but not before a doctor shined a light in the fighter’s puffy, hideously damaged left eye, then tested his vision by holding up fingers for Semelsberger to count while loosely covering his good eye.
Given clearance, Semi pounded his chest then charged out of his corner to meet Morono with a flying knee that nearly ended matters. Morono survived, got to his feet and the bout ended with the two men slugging it out wildly in the middle of the canvas to the crowd’s vociferous approval.
It was indicative of Semelsberger’s appeal and abilities.
But it also wasn’t enough. After that loss, he won just one more time, over Matthews.
Semi’s last outing came on Nov. 9 after recovering from elbow ligament replacement surgery. He absorbed an emphatic knockout loss to Charlie Radtke in 51 seconds.
It was the last fight on his contract, and the result portended the end of this run for Semelsberger in a stacked weight class.
“You can’t stay the same, you gotta grow and let go of your old self to evolve a stronger heart and spirit,” the 31-year-old wrote. “Letting go has been difficult for me the last few years but ya know I’ve found that eventually, often late, God gets the truth through to me and I respond accordingly. Everything that’s happening is setting me up for greatness, I got faith on that. It is up to me to answer the call to adventure though. So I’ll [be right back], gonna go die and be reborn from the ashes right quick[.] Really think you’ll like the new guy[.]”
Semelsberger carved out a fun ride at the pinnacle of his sport after leaving Marist just short of his bachelor’s degree and throwing himself into MMA.
He surrounded himself with a strong team — initially at Frederick’s Clinch Academy, then also at Crazy 88 Mixed Martial Arts in Elkridge — linked up with an agent and soon became part of a global company that houses the world’s top fighters.
Responding in a text message to the News-Post, Semelsberger said he intends to keep pushing himself to the high standard he has set in hopes of inspiring others.
He said on the Combat and Coaching Podcast this weekend that he will continue training and seeking fights, whether it’s MMA, bare-knuckle events, karate-combat or anything else. He hopes for a shot at redemption.
“There’s a warrior inside me, I’ve shown that,” said part of the message he included in his Instagram video. “Just gotta fully set. You can put me down but I’ll always get the f— up. What’s next I don’t know. Caring too much about fighting and trying to please everyone watching has [led] me down a darker path. But I suppose it’s all for a greater reason if I choose to let it make me stronger going forward.”
