Retired UFC fighter Matt Hamill has kicked off 2025 with some massive news.
‘The Hammer’ was born completely deaf, but that didn’t stop him from becoming a high school wrestling star before transitioning to MMA and establishing himself as one of the best fighters on the planet.
Matt Hamill’s 13-8 run in MMA includes high-profile wins over Tito Ortiz, Mark Munoz, and Keith Jardine. The 48-year-old also shared the UFC Octagon with Michael Bisping, Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson, and Alexander Gustafsson.
However, he is most famous for being the only man to beat Jon Jones, who suffered a controversial disqualification defeat when he threw an illegal elbow during their fight in 2009.
Matt Hamill buys powerful hearing aid
Hamill seemingly retired from MMA after beating Chris Birchler by split decision at Maverick MMA 6 in 2018.
Since then, he’s been enjoying spending time with his family, and that experience has just gotten a whole lot better, according to his recent social media post.
A new and powerful hearing aid has given Hamill the ability to hear for the first time in more than four decades.
The 15-fight UFC veteran shared the amazing news with his Instagram followers on New Year’s Day.
“I just got the most powerful digital hearing aids ever made,” Hamill wrote.
“For the first time in 41 years, I can finally hear my kids’ voices, the sounds of people walking and laughing. I finally heard my mom’s voice and she cried.
“I’m looking forward to hearing my brother Pat’s voice too. I only hope he doesn’t have a voice like a foghorn.
“This is awesome although I know it will take time to adapt to all of this.
“Happy New Year!”
Matt Hamill will end retirement for Jon Jones rematch
Jon Jones and UFC boss Dana White have been campaigning to get his lone loss overturned for years – but it seemed impossible until a recent rule change.
In November, the Association of Boxing Commissions and Combative Sports committee voted to lift the longstanding ban on 12-6 elbows, which is what Jones was DQ’d for throwing when he fought Hamill.
Now the strike is legally used in the UFC, and the heavyweight champion has restarted his campaign to get the defeat expunged from his otherwise perfect record.
Before Jones beat Stipe Miocic at UFC 309, Hamill offered his former opponent a chance at revenge as he sent a wild proposal to the UFC CEO.
“Let’s cut this chase… @danawhite – I know you’re desperate to get @jonnybones an undefeated record,” he wrote on Instagram. “I see how you want to profit from that! Is also why you bail him out of all the other things…
“How about a rematch?! I’ll be happy to fight him for a heavyweight title. If I beat him, I want a UFC belt. Let me know if Stipe Miocic backs out. I’ll take short notice, just remember he already lost to me!
The rematch call went unanswered. Of course, it’s not a fight that can be made as Jones is currently in negotiations to unify the heavyweight division in a clash with interim titleholder Tom Aspinall.
Still, it shows that Hamill has some fight left in him. A return to MMA – not against Jones – could be on the cards in 2025, but for now, he’s just enjoying being able to hear again.