UFC Fight Night 260: Jake Matthews vs Neil Magny Preview & Prediction
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Owner of the most wins in UFC welterweight history, Neil Magny looks to add to that tally as he takes on the surging Jake Matthews.
Jake Matthews vs Neil Magny facts
What time are Jake Matthews and Neil Magny expected to walk out?
Where is UFC Fight Night 260: Ulberg vs Reyes? RAC Arena, Perth, Australia
Where can I get tickets for UFC Fight Night 260: Ulberg vs Reyes? Click here for the latest ticket information for UFC Fight Night 260
What TV channel is UFC Fight Night 260: Ulberg vs Reyes on? UK – TNT Sports / USA – ESPN+
Where can I stream UFC Fight Night 260: Ulberg vs Reyes? UK – TNT Sports subscribers can stream the event online via the TNT Sports website and discovery+ / USA – ESPN+ & UFC Fight Pass
UFC Fight Night 260: Ulberg vs Reyes main card
Carlos Ulberg vs Dominick Reyes (Light Heavyweight)
Jimmy Crute vs Ivan Erslan (Light Heavyweight)
Jack Jenkins vs Ramon Taveras (Featherweight)
Jake Matthews vs Neil Magny (Welterweight)
Justin Tafa vs Louie Sutherland (Heavyweight)
Tom Nolan vs Charlie Campbell (Lightweight)
UFC Fight Night 260: Ulberg vs Reyes prelims
Navajo Stirling vs Rodolfo Bellato (Light Heavyweight)
Cameron Rowston vs Andre Petroski (Middleweight)
Jonathan Micallef vs Oban Elliott (Welterweight)
Jamie Mullarkey vs Rolando Bedoya (Lightweight)
Colby Thicknesse vs Josias Musasa (Bantamweight)
Michelle Montague vs Luana Carolina (Women’s Bantamweight)
Brando Pericic vs Elisha Ellison (Heavyweight)
Loma Lookboonmee vs Alexia Thainara (Women’s Strawweight)
Jake Matthews: "The Celtic Kid" returns home in the hopes of scoring his fourth consecutive victory
A UFC competitor since 2014, Jake Matthews (22-7) has always been somewhat of an enigma in the welterweight division. The Australian was subject to some considerable hype as a prospect and has showed flashes of world class potential in the course of more than a decade with the UFC. However, for every superb win in the vein of an Andre Fialho or a Chidi Njokuani, there’s a disappointing setback on his record to the likes of Sean Brady or Michael Morales. Matthews’ UFC record stands at 15-7 after more than a decade of UFC competition, but he enters this contest on his best run in some time, bringing a three fight win streak with him to the cage on Saturday night.
Neil Magny: Can "The Haitian Sensation" upset the applecart once again?
Owner of the most wins in the UFC welterweight history, Neil Magny (30-13) has been a staple of the division for more than a decade. While his clinch and grapple heavy fight style has never exactly been the most popular with the masses, it’s hard to deny “The Haitian Sensation’s” effectiveness. Magny’s fights tend to go one of two ways; he either gets blasted by something comical or leans on his ridiculous cardio to outlast his opponents, earning a decision nod or scoring a late finish. Many thought the American was done following brutal successive first round KO losses to Carlos Prates and Michael Morales, only for Magny to rebound in his latest performance, a second round TKO win over Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos.
Jake Matthews vs Neil Magny prediction
This fight is essentially dependent on what version of Matthews shows up. He either completely outclasses the American here or suffers a similar fate to the likes of Daniel Rodriguez and Mike Malott; gassing out in the face of Magny’s suffocating pressure and succumbing to a late finish.
The pair’s recent run of form indicates that the former is decidedly the more likely of the two outcomes. The biggest favorite on the card, Matthews is on an impressive three fight win streak and enters this contest riding the momentum of a stoppage victory over the dangerous Chidi Njokuani. The Australian’s striking continues to improve and his notoriously underrated grappling has never looked better.
By contrast, Magny is just one contest removed from getting slumped out cold by Carlos Prates and Michael Morales - badly - in back to to back fights. At this point in the career, “The Haitian Sensation” simply doesn’t have the adequate weapons to determine the outcome of a fight for himself; he’s utterly reliant on his opponents either gassing out or demonstrating dismal fight IQ to secure the “W”.
Matthews is unlikely to do either of those things. The Australian’s career has followed a pattern; he produces a few excellent performances before coming up short when faced with truly elite competition. However, the Magny of today is far from elite, and there’s a valid argument that he never truly attained that status to begin with, despite holding the most victories in welterweight history.
Matthews remains a step ahead in all facets of the game across three rounds to earn a one-sided decision and his fourth straight victory.
Prediction: Jake Matthews to win
