The scheduled bout between Muslim Salikhov and Jake Matthews at UFC Macau has been cancelled. Salikhov has withdrawn from the fight due to an upcoming elbow surgery that requires immediate attention. The cancellation was reported by source KevinK. No information was provided about whether Matthews will receive a replacement opponent or be rescheduled for a future event. The post did not specify the original date of UFC Macau or provide additional context about the matchup.
Muslim Salikhov has been forced out of his scheduled welterweight bout against Jake Matthews at UFC Macau, with the Russian veteran set to undergo elbow surgery that requires immediate attention.
Salikhov, nicknamed "King of Kung Fu," carries a 22-6 record and is 42 years old, making him one of the more experienced fighters on the UFC roster. The Russia-born welterweight trains out of the Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov School and has built his reputation on sharp striking, landing 3.37 significant strikes per minute at 49 percent accuracy. He also mixes in takedown threats at a rate of 1.07 per 15 minutes.
Matthews, known as "The Celtic Kid," entered the matchup with a 22-8 record at 31 years old. The Australian, who fights out of Nexus, matches up nearly identically in height at five-foot-eleven and 180 centimeters, though he holds a slight reach advantage at 73 inches compared to Salikhov's 70. Matthews averages 3.34 significant strikes per minute and complements his striking with 1.44 takedowns per 15 minutes and 0.8 submission attempts in the same span, giving him a more rounded offensive profile.
No information has been released regarding whether Matthews will receive a replacement opponent or be moved to a future event.
Why it matters
- Salikhov's elbow surgery creates uncertainty around his timeline and whether he can return at 42 years old
- Matthews is left without an opponent, potentially disrupting his competitive momentum
- Both fighters sit at the same record total of 22 wins, suggesting the bout carried meaningful divisional weight at welterweight
- The cancellation leaves a gap on the UFC Macau card that the promotion will need to address
