Matt Embree

Born and raised in Toronto, Canada, Matt “Matics” Embree began training at seventeen years old and is fast becoming a major presence in the featherweight division.

He wanted to be a fighter from when he first started training and told his gym (at the time Siam No. 1, the original gym also of Simon Marcus) that he was ready to fight whenever. They gave him six months then put him in his first bout, which he won. He has never looked back.

“To me fighting wasn’t very new. I always loved fighting. Been in a few fights in the streets before when I was growing up in school and stuff,” he says.

“Me personally I have always been very dedicated to what I do, I have always done sports growing up and stuff like that. The discipline and dedication that came behind it just came naturally to me. With a goal in mind it was very easy to deal with.

He has trained extensively in Thailand and notes that “over there the energy is different. Everybody you are with is training for a fight, they are preparing for fights so the intensity is high. The trainers know that you are going to fight and so your level is constantly improving because you are submerged in it.”

“My overall philosophy for training is discipline, dedication, determination. They are the big key factors to it. You have to be very disciplined with your training, with your eating, and with everything. Dedicated to what you do. And you have to be determined, you have to have that goal and that is what carries me.”

Embree is a keen reader and especially likes biographies of the great men of history. He is particularly fond of quoting Napoleon on the subject of war.

“I like to start my day right with a good healthy breakfast while reading a book (not the newspaper). It helps to get my mind working right off the bat,” he says.

“The brain is the most important part anyone has so you need to feed it with proper nutrients and knowledge. Try and pick up a book that is gonna benefit you in some way. Knowledge is true power, for with it there are no limits.”

In 2007 Matt won a Gold medal at the IFMA World Amateur Muay Thai Championships and the following year he won the 2008 WKA North American Amateur Muay Thai Championship for the 125lb weight class.

In 2008 he traveled to Thailand and winning the Northern Thailand Championship in the 125lb category. In 2010 he returned back to Thailand to again win the Northern Thailand Champion for a second time at the same weight.

In 2011 when he won the prestigious North American WMC Championship title and rounded out 2012 by winning the North American WBC Championship title.

To date, Embree has also won one GLORY Featherweight Contender Tournament.