The scheduled bout between Muslim Salikhov and Jake Matthews at the May 30 UFC event has been cancelled. Salikhov underwent surgery on his hand, forcing him out of the contest. The Russian welterweight was set to face Australian veteran Matthews in what would have been a significant bout for both fighters. No replacement opponent or rescheduled date has been announced. This marks another setback for Salikhov, who now faces an extended recovery period.
A welterweight matchup between Muslim Salikhov and Jake Matthews that was scheduled for the May 30 UFC event has been called off after Salikhov underwent hand surgery, forcing his withdrawal from the contest. No replacement opponent or new date has been announced for either fighter.
Salikhov, known as "King of Kung Fu," is a 42-year-old Russian welterweight who trains out of the Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov School. He carries a 22-6-0 professional record and brings a striking-focused style to the cage, averaging 3.37 significant strikes landed per minute at 49 percent accuracy. He stands five-foot-eleven with a 70-inch reach and records just over one takedown per 15 minutes, with no submission attempts to speak of. The hand surgery now adds an extended recovery period to what has already been a difficult stretch for him.
Matthews, the 31-year-old Australian nicknamed "The Celtic Kid," also holds a 22-8-0 record and trains with Nexus. He matches Salikhov nearly identically in height at five-foot-eleven but holds a slight reach advantage at 73 inches (185 cm). Matthews averages 3.34 significant strikes per minute at 43 percent accuracy, and his ground game is a notable part of his arsenal, posting 1.44 takedowns per 15 minutes along with 0.8 submission attempts in the same span.
Why it matters
- Salikhov faces an uncertain timeline for return at 42 years old, making the recovery period a significant concern for his career trajectory.
- Matthews loses a scheduled opponent with no replacement announced, leaving his own timeline for the May 30 card in question.
- Both fighters entered the matchup with identical 22-win records, making the cancellation a loss of a closely matched welterweight contest.
