Dana White's UFC Contender Series and college graduate Hyder Amil is on a mission to prove he deserves big fights quickly.
While Hyder Amil is a formidable prizefighter, the Californian’s real talent might be in keeping a secret. On May 24, he revealed via Instagram that he had graduated from college, a significant achievement he had kept under wraps.
Using his fight purses to pay for classes, Amil balanced his rigorous MMA training with his studies. Approximately six years later, he earned a degree in construction management.
“Not too shabby for someone who gets punched in the face,” laughs Amil. Achieving this while fighting on the regional scene was challenging, but as he advanced to bigger shows and the UFC, the pressure intensified, making his accomplishment even more remarkable.
“I train a lot, and my coaches often begged me to chill and recover. Despite various personal challenges, I also managed to open a gym, doing the architecture and 3-D modeling for it, hiring and managing people, and still training and fighting. I don’t know how I did it all, but I did.”
Now, with his degree in hand, Amil can fully focus on his fighting career. The 34-year-old boasts a 9-0 pro record, including a second-round stoppage of Fernie Garcia in his UFC debut in February. On Saturday, he will face JeongYeong Lee in his third fight at the UFC APEX, hoping to deliver a performance that propels him to arena fights.
Amil is open to a matchup with featherweight action hero Nate Landwehr. While he remains focused on his upcoming bout against Lee, he doesn’t hide his ambition. His coach and mentor, Gilbert Melendez, understands this drive well.
“Gilbert told me he’s proud of me and that I give hope to everyone on the team that they can make it to the UFC too,” Amil shared. “People in the Bay Area have told me I inspire them to pursue their dreams, and that makes me feel really happy. It’s the icing on the cake.”
However, the most significant acknowledgment comes from his mother.
“My mom’s been waiting my whole life for me to get this degree,” Amil said. “She’s told me she’s proud of me twice—once when I went to the Contender Series and again when I got this degree.”
Don't miss UFC Fight Night: Lemos vs. Jandiroba, live from UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada. Prelims start at 5pm ET/2pm PT, while the main card kicks off live on ESPN & ESPN+ at 8pm ET/5pm PT.