{ { Infobox martial artist
| name = Matt Schnell
| nickname = Danger
| birth_name = Matthew Christopher Schnell
| birth_date =
| birth_place = Amory, Mississippi, United States
| residence = Shreveport, Louisiana, United States
| nationality =
| height =
| weight_lb = 125
| weight_class = FlyweightBantamweight
| reach_in = 72+1/2
| style =
| rank = Black belt in Karate Purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
| stance =
| fighting_out_of = Shreveport, Louisiana, United States
| team = American Top Team (2014–2017) Combat Sports Academy (2017–present) American Kickboxing Academy (2017–present)<ref>{ { cite web|url=https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2019/11/ufc-busan-matt-schnell-expects-firewords-alexandre-pantoja|title=Matt Schnell on UFC Busan fight vs. Alexandre Pantoja: 'I either spark this kid, or it's 'Fight of the Night|author=Farah Hannoun|work=MMAjunkie.com|date=November 23, 2019}}</ref> | trainer = | years_active = 2009–present | mma_kowin = 2 | mma_subwin = 9 | mma_decwin = 4 | mma_dqwin = 1 | mma_koloss = 4 | mma_subloss = 2 | mma_decloss = 1 | mma_draw = | mma_nc = 1 | url = | sherdog = 47006 | footnotes = | updated = }}
Matthew Christopher Schnell (born January 15, 1990) is an American professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the Flyweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Schnell formerly competed for Legacy Fighting Alliance, where he is a former Legacy Fighting Alliance Flyweight Champion. As of September 12, 2023, he is #9 in the UFC flyweight rankings.
Mixed martial arts career
Caged
In 2012, Schnell was one of the young MMA fighters featured in Caged - an MTV reality television series. The show focused on four prospective MMA fighters in small-town Louisiana. Schnell was one of the two fighters on the show, alongside Tony Kelley, to later fight professionally.
Legacy Fighting Championship
Schnell joined Legacy Fighting Championship in 2012 and went 9–2 in various promotions before joining the cast of The Ultimate Fighter, season 24.
The Ultimate Fighter: Tournament of Champions
On May 11, 2016, the UFC announced that the 16 contestants for The Ultimate Fighter: Tournament of Champions would be flyweight champion fighters from various organizations around the world, with the winner being expected to have a chance to fight for the flyweight title against Demetrious Johnson. Schnell was announced as part of the cast in July and selected for Team Cejudo.
In the first round on the show, Schnell seeded at #6 faced #11 Matt Rizzo and defeated him in the second round via a triangle choke submission. Schnell advanced to the quarterfinals and faced #3 seed Tim Elliott. He lost the fight via first-round submission due to a bulldog choke.
Ultimate Fighting Championship
After his stint on The Ultimate Fighter, Schnell was chosen as one of the cast mates to get a contract. Schnell fought Rob Font in the bantamweight division at The Ultimate Fighter: Tournament of Champions Finale. He lost the fight via TKO in the first round.
Schnell returned to the flyweight division and faced Hector Sandoval on April 22, 2017, at UFC Fight Night: Swanson vs. Lobov. He lost the fight via knockout in the first round.
Schnell next fought on October 7, 2017 at UFC 216 against Marco Beltrán. He won the fight by unanimous decision.
Schnell faced Naoki Inoue on June 23, 2018 at UFC Fight Night 132. He won the fight via split decision.
Schnell faced Louis Smolka in a bantamweight bout on March 9, 2019 at UFC Fight Night 146. He won the fight via a triangle choke submission in the first round.
As the first fight of his new, four-fight contract, Schnell faced Jordan Espinosa on August 3, 2019 at UFC on ESPN 5. He won the fight via a triangle choke submission in the first round. The win also earned Schnell his first Performance of the Night bonus award.
Schnell faced Alexandre Pantoja on December 21, 2019 at UFC Fight Night 165. He lost the fight via first-round knockout.
Schnell was expected to face Tyson Nam on September 12, 2020 at UFC Fight Night 183. However, Schnell was removed from the fight on the day of the event's weigh-in for health issues related to his weight cut. As a result, the fight was cancelled. The bout with Nam was first rescheduled to UFC Fight Night: Thompson vs. Neal, on December 19, 2020, and then to UFC on ESPN: Chiesa vs. Magny, on January 20, 2021. He won the bout by split decision.