The welterweight bout between Muslim Salikhov and Jake Matthews at UFC on May 30 has been canceled. Salikhov underwent surgery on his arm, forcing the withdrawal. The post duplicates content across multiple channels for those experiencing loading issues. No information is provided about whether the fight will be rescheduled or if Matthews will receive a replacement opponent.
A welterweight matchup between Muslim Salikhov and Jake Matthews scheduled for May 30 has been called off after Salikhov underwent surgery on his arm, forcing his withdrawal from the bout.
Salikhov, known as "King of Kung Fu," is a 42-year-old Russian fighter competing out of the Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov School. He carries a professional record of 22-6 and brings a measured but effective striking game to the welterweight division, landing 3.37 significant strikes per minute at 49 percent accuracy. He also mixes in takedowns at a rate of 1.07 per 15 minutes.
Matthews, the 31-year-old Australian nicknamed "The Celtic Kid," enters the canceled fight at 22-8. Representing Nexus, he is a well-rounded welterweight with a slightly longer reach of 73 inches compared to Salikhov's 70 inches. Matthews lands 3.34 significant strikes per minute and supplements his striking with takedowns at 1.44 per 15 minutes, while also attempting submissions at a rate of 0.8 per 15 minutes.
Why it matters
- Salikhov's arm surgery introduces uncertainty around his near-term availability and timeline for a return to competition.
- Matthews is left without an opponent and his status for the May 30 card remains unclear, with no replacement opponent announced.
- No information has been provided on whether the matchup will be rescheduled at a future date.
