The welterweight bout between Muslim Salikhov and Jake Matthews scheduled for UFC on May 30 has been cancelled. Salikhov underwent surgery on his arm, forcing the withdrawal from the fight. This represents the second report confirming Salikhov's injury and surgical procedure. The cancellation leaves Matthews without an opponent for the May 30 event. No replacement opponent or rescheduled date has been announced for either fighter.
A welterweight matchup between Muslim Salikhov and Jake Matthews that had been set for May 30 is off, after Salikhov underwent surgery on his arm and was forced to withdraw from the contest.
Salikhov, known as "King of Kung Fu," is a 42-year-old Russian fighter out of the Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov School carrying a professional record of 22-6-0. Standing five-foot-eleven with a 70-inch reach, 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. This marks the second report confirming both the injury and the surgical procedure, underlining that the withdrawal is a settled matter rather than speculation.
Matthews, the 31-year-old Australian nicknamed "The Celtic Kid," now finds himself without an opponent heading into the May 30 card. He enters with a 22-8-0 record and trains out of Nexus. At five-foot-eleven with a 73-inch reach, Matthews posts similar striking numbers to Salikhov — 3.34 significant strikes landed per minute — but also adds a grappling dimension, averaging 1.44 takedowns and 0.8 submission attempts per 15 minutes.
Why it matters
- Salikhov's arm surgery creates uncertainty around his return timeline at age 42, raising questions about when he will next compete.
- Matthews loses a booked fight with no replacement opponent or rescheduled date announced, leaving his May 30 participation in doubt.
- Both fighters share near-identical physical dimensions and striking output, meaning the stylistic matchup — had it taken place — would have been a closely contested stand-up affair with Matthews holding a grappling edge.
