Retired UFC fighter Matt Hamill has started 2025 with big 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 in the world.
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 defeat Jon Jones, who suffered a controversial disqualification defeat when he threw an illegal elbow during their 2009 fight.
Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Matt Hamill buys a powerful hearing aid
Hamill appears to have retired from MMA after defeating Chris Birchler via split decision at Maverick MMA 6 in 2018.
Since then, he's enjoyed spending time with his family, and that experience just got a whole lot better, judging by 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 forty years.
The 15-fight UFC veteran shared the exciting news with his Instagram followers on New Year's Day.
“I just created the most powerful digital hearing aids ever,” Hamill wrote.
“For the first time in 41 years, I can finally hear my children's voices, the sounds of people walking and laughing. I finally heard my mother's voice and she was crying.
“I'm also looking forward to hearing my brother Pat's voice. I just hope he doesn't have a voice like a foghorn.
“This is great, although I know it will take time to adjust to all of this.
“Happy new year!”
Matt Hamill will come out of retirement for Jon Jones' rematch
Jon Jones and UFC boss Dana White have been campaigning for years to overturn his lone loss – but it seemed impossible until a recent rule change.
In November, the Association of Boxing Commissions and Combative Sports committee voted to lift the long-standing ban on 12-6 elbows, for which Jones was DQ'd for throwing when he fought Hamill.
Now the move is used legally in the UFC, and the heavyweight champion has restarted his campaign to have the defeat erased from his otherwise perfect record.
Before Jones defeated Stipe Miocic at UFC 309, Hamill offered his former opponent a chance for revenge by sending a wild proposal to the UFC CEO.
“Let's cut this chase short… @danawhite – I know you're desperate for an undefeated record for @jonnybones,” he wrote on Instagram. “I understand that you want to take advantage of that! That's also why you keep him free from all those other things…
“How about a rematch?! I will happily fight him for a heavyweight title. If I beat him, I want a UFC belt. Let me know if Stipe Miocic withdraws. I'll give it a quick look, but remember, he already lost to me!
The rematch call went unanswered. It's obviously not a fight that can be had as Jones is currently in negotiations to unify the heavyweight division in a clash with interim titleholder Tom Aspinall.
Still, it shows that Hamill still 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 heard again.
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