Muslim Salikhov has confirmed his withdrawal from UFC Macau via social media, announcing that he underwent elbow surgery. The fighter stated that injuries happen unexpectedly and that his recovery will take a couple of weeks. Salikhov expressed regret that fans won't see his scheduled bout but promised to return and deliver good fights. His fight against Jake Matthews at UFC Macau on May 30 has been cancelled. The post's tone suggests Salikhov is optimistic about a relatively quick return to competition.
Muslim Salikhov has withdrawn from his scheduled welterweight clash with Jake Matthews at UFC Macau on May 30, confirming via social media that he recently underwent elbow surgery.
Salikhov, known as "King of Kung Fu," is a 42-year-old Russian fighter out of the Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov School who carries a 22-6-0 professional record. The orthodox striker lands 3.37 significant strikes per minute at a 49 percent accuracy rate, making him one of the more precise volume strikers in the welterweight division. In his social media post, Salikhov acknowledged that injuries arrive without warning and expressed regret that fans would miss the scheduled contest, though he remained upbeat about his recovery timeline, suggesting he expects to be back within a couple of weeks.
His opponent, Jake Matthews, now finds himself without a dance partner for the event. The 31-year-old Australian, who fights out of Nexus under the nickname "The Celtic Kid," holds a 22-8-0 record and brings a well-rounded skill set to the table. Matthews lands 3.34 significant strikes per minute and mixes in 1.44 takedowns per 15 minutes alongside a notable grappling threat, averaging 0.8 submission attempts per 15 minutes. At 185 centimetres, he carries a three-centimetre reach advantage over Salikhov.
Why it matters
- Salikhov's elbow surgery raises questions about his availability for the near-term UFC schedule, despite his optimistic recovery outlook
- Matthews, at 31 and in a competitive stage of his welterweight career, loses a meaningful opportunity and will need a replacement opponent or a rescheduled date
- The stylistic matchup between two orthodox strikers with comparable striking output and overlapping grappling dimensions made this a compelling mid-card contest for the Macau card
