| Aaron Phillips | |
| Birth Name: | Aaron Ern-Wuei Phillips |
| Birth Date: | 5 August 1989 |
| Birth Place: | Houston, Texas, United States |
| Weight Lb: | 135 |
| Weight Class: | Bantamweight |
| Reach: | 69 in |
| Rank: | Fourth degree black belt in Taekwondo[1] |
| Fighting Out Of: | Lafayette, Louisiana |
| Team: | Headkicks MMA Gladiators Academy[2] |
| Years Active: | 2011–present |
| Mma Kowin: | 6 |
| Mma Subwin: | 2 |
| Mma Decwin: | 4 |
| Mma Koloss: | 1 |
| Mma Subloss: | 1 |
| Mma Decloss: | 3 |
| Sherdog: | 55298 |
| University: | University of Louisiana |
Aaron Ern-Wuei Phillips (born August 5, 1989) is an American mixed martial artist who competes in the Bantamweight division. A professional since 2011, he is most notable for his time in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
His mom came over from Penang, Malaysia to the US for university and met his father. She was a school teacher, so every summer he would go back to Malaysia from the age of four to eleven.[3]
Phillips started fighting MMA professionally in 2011, mainly for regional Louisiana organizations, compiling a 7–0 record, before signing with the UFC in 2014.[4]
Philips made his UFC debut as an injury replacement for Doo Ho Choi against Sam Sicilia on May 24, 2014 at UFC 173.[5] However, Choi pulled out of the bout citing an injury.[6] He lost the fight via unanimous decision.
Aaron Phillips faced Matt Hobar at on August 23, 2014.[7] He lost the fight via unanimous decision.[8]
After his second loss in a row, Phillips was released from the UFC.[9]
After his release from the UFC, Phillips faced future UFC fighter Chris Gutiérrez for the vacant WFC Bantamweight Championship. Due to the bay doors not being able to be closed, the fight took place in cold.[10] Due to an injury picked up during the fight, he was unable to continue, therefore losing the fight.[11]
After this fight, due to injuries, he did not fight for 3 years before coming back in 2018 and picking up 4 straight wins in the World Fighting Championships organization. With a one off fight in VFL which he won by TKO, he was signed once again to the UFC.[12]
With Anderson dos Santos testing positive for COVID-19 before his fight with Jack Shore at bantamweight, Phillips was chosen as his replacement for the July 16, 2020 fight at [13] He lost the fight in the second round via rear-naked choke.[14]
Philips was scheduled to face Adrian Yanez on October 31, 2020 at UFC Fight Night 181.[15] However on October 20, Phillips pulled out due to an undisclosed injury.[16]
Phillips was scheduled to face Cameron Else on July 17, 2021 at UFC on ESPN 26.[17] However in mid-July, Else pulled out to undisclosed reasons. Aaron was expected to face Trevin Jones on July 24, 2021 at .[18] On July 18, Phillips pulled out off the bout.[19]
Phillips was scheduled to face Kris Moutinho on October 23, 2021 at UFC Fight Night 196.[20] However, Moutinho was removed from the event for undisclosed reasons and was replaced by Jonathan Martinez.[21] In turn, Philips withdrew from the bout due to illness.[22]
Phillips faced Gastón Bolaños on April 15, 2023 at UFC on ESPN 44.[23] He lost the fight by unanimous decision.[24]
On June 8, it was announced that Phillips was not extended a new contract and no longer on the UFC roster.[25]
|-|Loss|align=center|12–5|Gastón Bolaños|Decision (unanimous)|||align=center|3|align=center|5:00|Kansas City, Missouri, United States||-| Loss| align=center| 12–4| Jack Shore|Submission (rear-naked choke)| ||align=center|2|align=center|2:29|Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates||-| Win| align=center| 12–3| Ariston França| TKO|VFL: Cajuns vs. Cowboys| | align=center| 1| align=center| 1:16| Dallas, Texas, United States| |-| Win| align=center| 11–3| Devante Sewell| Decision (unanimous)| World Fighting Championships 101| | align=center| 3| align=center| 5:00| Charenton, Louisiana, United States| |-| Win| align=center| 10–3| Anthony Retic| Submission (rear-naked choke)| World Fighting Championships 97| | align=center| 1| align=center| 1:49| Charenton, Louisiana, United States||-| Win| align=center| 9–3| Jeremy Rogers| TKO (punches)| World Fighting Championships 86| | align=center| 1| align=center| 2:50| Charenton, Louisiana, United States||-| Win| align=center|8–3| Andy Brossett| TKO|World Fighting Championships 82| | align=center|1| align=center|4:43| Charenton, Louisiana, United States||-| Loss| align=center|7–3| Chris Gutiérrez|TKO (retirement)|World Fighting Championships 35||align=center|3|align=center|5:00|Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States||-| Loss| align=center|7–2| Matt Hobar| Decision (unanimous)| | | align=center| 3| align=center| 5:00| Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States| |-| Loss| align=center|7–1| Sam Sicilia|Decision (unanimous)|UFC 173||align=center| 3|align=center| 5:00|Las Vegas, Nevada, United States||-| Win| align=center| 7–0| Tyler Shinn| Decision (split)| C3 Fights: Border Wars 2014| | align=center| 3| align=center| 5:00| Newkirk, Oklahoma, United States| |-| Win| align=center| 6–0| D.J. Fuentes| Decision (unanimous)| USA MMA 23: The Fight Before Christmas|| align=center| 3| align=center| 5:00|Lafayette, Louisiana, United States| |-| Win| align=center| 5–0| Joe Yeampierre| Submission (rear-naked choke)| WFC 12: Battle at the Belle| | align=center| 1| align=center| 1:52| Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States| |-| Win| align=center| 4–0| Micah Goss| KO| USA MMA 22: Lafayette vs. The World 2| | align=center| 1| align=center| 4:32| Lafayette, Louisiana, United States| |-| Win| align=center| 3–0| Ryan Hollis| Submission| Night of Champions 4| | align=center| 3| align=center| 0:00| Lafayette, Louisiana, United States| |-| Win| align=center| 2–0| John de Jesus| Decision (unanimous)| Global Fighting Alliance 17: Top Shelf Fights| | align=center| 3| align=center| 5:00| Youngsville, Louisiana, United States||-| Win| align=center| 1–0| Heriberto Acuna| KO (punches)| Global Fighting Alliance: SugArena Rage| | align=center| 1| align=center| 1:26| Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States|[4]