Muslim Salikov's scheduled fight against Jake Matthews at UFC Macau has been cancelled. Salikov withdrew from the bout due to an upcoming elbow surgery that requires his immediate attention. The cancellation was reported by insider KevinK. No replacement opponent for Matthews has been announced at this time. This represents a setback for the UFC Macau card as the promotion loses a featured welterweight matchup. The extent of Salikov's injury and expected recovery timeline were not specified in the initial report.
Muslim Salikov has been forced out of his scheduled welterweight matchup against Jake Matthews at UFC Macau, withdrawing from the bout to undergo elbow surgery, according to a report from insider KevinK.
Matthews, known as "The Celtic Kid," now finds himself without an opponent and no replacement has been announced. The 31-year-old Australian, who trains out of Nexus, carries a professional record of 22 wins and 8 losses and stands at five-foot-eleven with a 73-inch reach. A well-rounded welterweight, Matthews averages 3.34 significant strikes per minute and adds a takedown threat to his game, averaging 1.44 takedowns per 15 minutes alongside 0.8 submission attempts per 15 minutes.
Salikov's injury details and expected recovery timeline were not disclosed in the initial report, leaving the full extent of the setback unclear.
Why it matters
- The cancellation removes a welterweight contest from the UFC Macau card, weakening the event's lineup.
- Matthews is left in limbo with no confirmed opponent, potentially threatening his place on the card altogether.
- No recovery timeline for Salikov means his return date and future scheduling remain uncertain.
