In our new The Professionals series, we are giving you in depth knowledge of all of our FightstorePro.com sponsored athletes.
The recent decision to bring Pro MMA Fighter Matt Inman into our select group of sponsored athletes with Fightstorepro was really one that started over 10 years ago. Fightstorepro Director Alex Wright trained with Matt all the way back in 2003/2004 at Gracie Barra Newcastle with Dave Elliot, Pete Irving, Pete Tiarks and the much missed Gavin Bradley. Recently attaining his BJJ blackbelt under top UK MMA Coach Karl Tanswell of SBG Manchester, it was an easy decision to welcome our long term friend Matt to the Fightstorepro Team.
Name: Matt Inman
Team: SBG Manchester
Weight: Welterweight (170lbs)
Pro MMA Record: 15-7 (7 T/KO, 7 submission, 8 first round finishes)
Other fight records: 6-1 in amateur MMA, 15 Muay Thai bouts, 5 pro boxing bouts
MMA Accomplishments: 7 x Cage Warriors veteran, FCC Pro welterweight champion, Strike and Submit champion, Total Combat champion,
Other fight accomplishments: BJJ black belt; multiple medals Gi and no gi inc. NAGA, British No Gi etc. Gold at 2015 IBJJF London winter open, and bronze at 2015 IBJJF European championships (adult, brown belt)
Known for: Muay Thai, Submissions, Well-Rounded
Influences: Studied too many to list!
Favourite Fight: Nick Diaz vs. Paul Daley
Martial Arts Background
2004-2008 Sor Thanikul Thai Boxing in Newcastle with Barry Norman and MMA with Peter Irving
2008-present SBG UK Manchester with Karl Tanswell
Yorkshire born Matt Inman was introduced into the fight game through a fleeting bit of Muay Thai in high school, where he mostly played rugby. The training resumed a few years down the line, but not with much vigour. A loss in his first bout wouldn't have inspired much confidence. However, moving to Newcastle to study, he found himself more committed to the training and therefore competition became more successful.
He competed reasonably regularly in 15 Muay Thai bouts, whilst also occasionally crossing over into amateur MMA, though the scene in the North of England back then was nowhere near as rife as it is now.
When his studies ended, he would make the move to Manchester where he found his home at Straight Blast Gym under Karl Tanswell. Inman is still there some seven years later, where he coaches alongside being the pro fight team's most regular fixture.
In 2015, Matt received his BJJ black belt from SBG Manchester head coach Karl Tanswell. IN SBG style, he grappled to submission with 54 people over the course of 2 hours before he was awarded the belt, with Tanswell stating that, "He is the definition of a true martial artist."
Matt Inman gets his BJJ black belt from Karl Tanswell
Professional MMA Career
Inman began his pro career in October of 2008, needing just 79 seconds to finish a 1-0 Steve Douglas at Strike and Submit. He campaigned largely around the North of England and went 8-1 in his first 9 outings, only losing to future TUF and UFC man Colin Fletcher.
From there, Inman was considered amongst the best welterweights in the UK and there were only tough fights on the table. A skid of four defeats in five outings came against top opposition such as Bellator's Eugene Fadiora, Ali Arish and Jack Mason (though this was interspersed by a foray into professional boxing). The bad patch could be described as character building, as Inman then went on a four-fight tear, defeating the likes of Mohsen Bahari, Gregor Weibel and Baugautdin Sharaputdinov.
He'd found a home with Cage Warriors where the competition was at the level he'd wanted and the fights were regular. He was a mainstay in the promotion's 170lbs division, constantly mixing it amongst the title contenders. Since the CWFC hiatus, Inman has gone on to have success with Bolton's FCC, becoming their welterweight champion with back to back stoppage wins over Aymara Guih and Vincent del Guerra.
Notable Victories
Matt Inman gets his BJJ black belt from Karl Tanswell- Triangle choke victory over Kyle Redfearn - 12th May, 2012, Total Combat 47
- Heel hook victory over Mohsen Bahari - 20th July, 2013, Cage Warriors 57
- TKO victory over Baugautdin Sharaputdinov - 24th August, 2013, Cage Warriors 58
- TKO victory over Vincent del Guerra - 20th June, 2015, FCC 13
