Matthews vs Abdullayev: 31 Fights Against a UFC Newcomer

Thirty-one pro fights against one UFC appearance — that's the welterweight matchup in Doha. Jake Matthews, 32, from Melbourne, has been in the promotion since 2014. Tahir Abdullayev, 29, of Azerbaijan, debuted in Baku in June and stopped Jefferson Nascimento in the third round.

Abdullayev almost never needs the scorecards: 20 wins, 18 of them early, eleven by knockout and seven by submission. He came to the UFC with a UAE Warriors welterweight title behind him — a belt he says he won on seven days' notice and lost in his first defense. He has never been knocked out and has been finished only once. Matthews answers with mileage: twelve years in the promotion, 31 pro fights, nine of his 23 wins by submission.

Matthews won his last time out, outpointing Carlston Harris in May; Abdullayev has not lost since 2024. One oddity trails the pairing: the UFC listed the wrong opponent for Matthews when the card was first published and fixed it days later. UFC Fight Night Doha tickets.