.Com TLD sherdog.com

sherdog.com

November 6, 2025

What is Sherdog

Sherdog is an English-language website focused entirely on mixed martial arts (MMA). (Wikipedia)
It offers a range of content: news, interviews, event previews and reviews, video content, a major fighter record database, rankings, and forums. (mixedmartialarts.fandom.com)
It also serves as a resource for television and other media: for example, it provides MMA-content for ESPN. (Muck Rack)

In short: if you’re following MMA, Sherdog is one of the early and major hubs of information and community discussion.

Origins & History

The website was founded in 1997 by photographer and internet-enthusiast Jeff Sherwood (nicknamed “Sherdog”). (FIGHT! Magazine)
The exact backstory: Sherwood was working at Boeing, learning HTML and messing around with websites, then created Sherdog. (FIGHT! Magazine)
Over time, the site evolved with help from collaborators (for example Garrett Poe) to include an extensive fighter database, forums, and broader MMA coverage. (Wikipedia)

Some timeline notes:

  • It has been online since August 1997. (forums.sherdog.com)

  • The early 2000s saw the site expanding in features and community. (forums.sherdog.com)
    These roots give it a sort of “veteran portal” status in the MMA web space.

What Sherdog Offers

Fighter Database (“Fight Finder”)

One of Sherdog’s signature features is its comprehensive fighter record database. It lists professional records for many fighters, including wins, losses, methods (KO/TKO, submission, decision), divisions, associations, etc. For example, you’ll find detailed entries like this: (Sherdog)
It is frequently referenced by commentators, journalists and even databases comparing MMA stats.

News, Interviews & Previews/Reviews

Sherdog covers MMA in a broad sense: upcoming events, fight card analysis, post-fight reaction, interviews with fighters/referees/promoters. It also issues rankings (e.g., “Pound-for-Pound Top 10”). (Sherdog)

Forums & Community

The forums have been a major component. Discussion threads cover fights, tactics, events, fighters, and even non-MMA topics like video games or off-topic chat. The community aspect is strong. (forums.sherdog.com)

Media & Video Content

Sherdog has media offerings: video content, podcasts, streaming of some fights (especially in earlier years). On their YouTube channel for instance they upload interviews and event previews. (YouTube)

Rankings & Awards

Sherdog publishes its official MMA rankings and issues annual awards (like “Fight of the Year”, “Submission of the Year”) in MMA. (Sherdog)

Why It Matters

  • Historical significance: Coming online in 1997, Sherdog is among the earliest dedicated MMA portals. That gives it a legacy and archival value.

  • Data reliability: Because the fighter database is so extensive and cited by others, it has become a go-to reference tool for MMA stats and records.

  • Community hub: The forums gave MMA fans a dedicated space to discuss and debate, before many newer social media platforms existed.

  • Wide coverage: From major promotions like UFC and Bellator MMA to regional circuits, Sherdog covers wide ground (though major leagues tend to dominate).

Thus, for someone researching a fighter, a bout, or wanting in-depth knowledge of MMA history, Sherdog is a strong resource.

Limitations & Criticisms

  • Database scope/accuracy issues: Although the database is extensive, there are recurring user discussions about how some fights are counted or omitted. For example, the comparison between Sherdog vs. other databases. (forums.sherdog.com)

  • Forum content can vary in quality: With open discussion forums, the tone and accuracy of posts can fluctuate.

  • Design & UX: Some users feel the design and navigation reflect its older roots and could be more modern/streamlined.

  • Access/privilege issues: There has been commentary (e.g., in the Russian Wikipedia page) that some organizations were reluctant to grant Sherdog media credentials. (Wikipedia)

  • Regional / amateur coverage: While major pro fights are well covered, lesser-known or regional fights may be less consistent in documentation.

Sherdog in the Modern MMA Landscape

While Sherdog remains influential, the MMA media space has become crowded. Newer publications, blogs, social media coverage and specialized databases (e.g., Tapology) compete. For example, users compare Sherdog vs Tapology for “which record database is better”. (forums.sherdog.com)

However, Sherdog’s legacy and archive give it staying power. Its “official” rankings still carry weight. Also its content and database are still referenced by journalists, fans, and broadcasters.

Ownership: Sherdog is owned by Evolve Media Holding, LLC and operates commercially (advertising-supported). (PitchBook)

Practical Uses for You

If you’re a fan, analyst, or researcher in MMA, here’s how to make the most of Sherdog:

  • Use the fighter database to check career records, fighter associations (teams etc), methods of victory, divisions.

  • Browse previews and reviews of upcoming/finished events to get context about competitive match-ups and storylines.

  • Use the rankings to understand how fighters are viewed relative to one another at a given time.

  • Engage in community forums if you want discussion and opinions (just remember open forums = variable quality).

  • For historical research: because it dates back to earlier MMA eras, Sherdog can offer archives that newer sites may lack.

Key Takeaways

  • Sherdog launched around 1997, founded by Jeff Sherwood.

  • It is a full-service MMA website: news, stats, video, forums, rankings.

  • Its fighter database (“Fight Finder”) is one of its standout features.

  • It has historical importance in the MMA media ecosystem.

  • It has strengths (archive, reliability, community) and some limitations (coverage gaps, UX, variable forum quality).

  • In today’s MMA media world it remains relevant, though there are more competitors than in the past.

FAQ

Q: Is Sherdog free to use?
A: Yes — much of the content (fighter stats, news, articles) is free. Registration is optional, though the forums may require sign-up.

Q: How reliable are the fighter records on Sherdog?
A: Generally quite good — many fans and analysts rely on them. But like any large database, there are occasional disputes or inconsistencies (for example what counts as a pro fight). See user discussions. (Reddit)

Q: Does Sherdog cover only the UFC?
A: No — while the UFC is heavily covered (as the dominant promotion), Sherdog covers other organizations and the regional circuit too. Their advertising info states: “From the UFC to the regional circuit…” (Sherdog)

Q: Can I get live streams or pay-per-view through Sherdog?
A: Historically Sherdog has done some streaming of smaller fight cards, but it is not a primary pay-per-view provider of major MMA events. The main value is informational.

Q: How does Sherdog’s ranking system work?
A: They publish “Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings” across divisions and pound-for-pound. They update when major results occur. Example: ranking changes when a fighter wins major bout. (Sherdog)