UFC Fight Night: Rockhold vs Bisping Prelim Breakout Star: Jake Matthews

The Prelim Breakout Star is a once per event article that helps fans get to know those who will be entertaining them from the undercard. The intention of the article is not to bring attention to the most talented guy on the preliminary card, but rather one that the common fan may have overlooked or underestimated.

Do you enjoy listening to the inviting sounds of Men at Work? Have you ever had a vegemite sandwich? Do you live in a country that has towns named Tittybong, Poowong and Wee Waa? Australia may be an exotic and sometimes strange place to North American’s, but we all speak the same language when it comes to MMA. As we take a trip to the land down under to enjoy some fights, Prelim Breakout Star takes a look at a national getting a look on the card.

Jake Matthews

Nickname- The Celtic Kid
Affiliation – Nexus
From – Victoria, Australia
Height – 5’9”
Weight – 155 lbs (Lightweight)
Record – 7-0 (1-0 UFC)

What makes him impressive

Only twenty years old, it goes without saying that he’s got a lot of natural gifts. His raw power and athleticism are very high and probably only going to get better. This strength helps him power through takedowns, but more importantly helps him fend them off. This allows him to stay on his feet and brawl. And he will brawl. He throws big bombs and has plenty of knockout power in his mitts.

Why he has been overlooked

In addition to being young, he does have a relatively short career. Being from Australia he hasn’t gotten a real lot of air time on those few fights. However, it should be noted, that even though he only has seven professional fights, he has double digit amateur fights and in those fights he is also undefeated.

What makes this a good matchup

Vagner Rocha is a jiu jitsu ace. While Matthews has had some success on the ground, he is not in the same neighborhood as Rocha. He is smart enough, though, to stay out of Rocha’s world and he has the tools to stay out. His takedown defense is more than good enough to keep it on his feet and if Jonathan Brookins could KO Rocha, Matthews can too.

Record: 45 Wins, 25 Losses, 2 Did Not Fight (DNF)

1. Francisco Trinaldo – UFC on FX: Belfort vs Bisping (W)

2. Simeon Thoresen – UFC on Fox: Johnson vs Dodson (L)

3. Tyron Woodley – UFC 156 (W)

4. Vaughan Lee – UFC on Fuel: Barao vs McDonald (W)

5. Dennis Bermudez – UFC 157 (W)

6. Cristiano Marcello – UFC on Fuel: Stann vs Silva (L)

7. Daron Cruickshank – UFC 158 (L)

8. Ryan LaFlare – UFC on Fuel: Mousasi vs Latifi (W)

9. Bart Palaszewski – TUF Finale (L)

10. Yoel Romero – UFC on Fox: Henderson vs Melendez (W)

11. Rustam Khabilov – UFC 159 (W)

12. Fabio Maldonado – UFC on FX: Belfort vs Rockhold (W)

13. Khabib Nurmagomedov – UFC 160 (W)

14. Antonio Braga Neto – UFC on Fuel: Nogueira vs Werdum (W)

15. Roland Delorme – UFC 161 (W)

16. Seth Baczynski – UFC 162 (L)

17. Jorge Masvidal – UFC on Fox: Johnson vs Moraga (W)

18. Ednaldo Oliveira – UFC 163 (L)

19. Mike Brown – UFC Fight Night: Shogun vs Sonnen (L)

20. Dylan Andrews – UFC Fight Night: Condit vs Kampmann (W)

21. Soa Palelei – UFC 164 (W)

22. Elias Silverio – UFC Fight Night: Teixeira vs Bader (W)

23. John Makdessi – UFC 165 (W)

24. Alan Patrick – UFC Fight Night: Maia vs Shields (W)

25. Andre Fili – UFC 166 (W)

26. Jimy Hettes – UFC Fight Night: Machida vs Munoz (W)

27. Germaine de Randamie – UFC Fight for the Troops 3 (L)

28. Omari Akhmedov – UFC Fight Night: Belfort vs Henderson (W)

29. Sergio Pettis – UFC 167 (W)

30. Roxanne Modafferi – TUF Finale (L)

31. Takeya Mizugaki – UFC Fight Night: Hunt vs Bigfoot (W)

32. Alptekin Ozkilic – UFC on Fox: Johnson vs Benavidez (W)

33. Siyar Bahadurzada – UFC 168 (L)

34. Mairbek Taisumov – UFC Fight Night: Saffiedine vs Lim (W)

35. Charlie Brenneman – UFC Fight Night: Rockhold vs Philippou (L)

36. Walt Harris – UFC on Fox: Henderson vs Thompson (L)

37. Clint Hester – UFC 169 (W)

38. Joe Proctor – UFC Fight Night: Machida vs Mousasi (W)

39. Aljamain Sterling – UFC 170 (W)

40. Zak Cummings – TUF China Finale (DNF)

41. Cyrille Diabate – UFC Fight Night: Gustafsson vs Manuwa (L)

42. Mats Nilsson – UFC Fight Night: Gustafsson vs Manuwa (L)

43. Alex Garcia – UFC 171 (W)

44. Hans Stringer – UFC Fight Night: Shogun vs Henderson (W)

45. Jim Alers – UFC Fight Night: Nogueira vs Nelson (W)

46. Ryan Jimmo – TUF Finale (W)

47. Caio Magalhaes – UFC on Fox: Werdum vs Browne (W)

48. Joe Ellenberger – UFC 172 (DNF)

49. Kyoji Horiguchi – UFC Fight Night: Brown vs Silva (W)

50. Francisco Trinaldo – UFC 173 (L)

51. Iuri Alcantara – UFC FIght Night: Mousasi vs Munoz (W)

52. Paulo Thiago – TUF Brazil Finale (L)

53. Jon Tuck – UFC Fight Night: Henderson vs Khabilov (W)

54. Mike Easton – UFC 174 (L)

55. Ian Entwistle – UFC Fight Night: Marquardt vs Te Huna (L)

56. Ray Borg – UFC Fight Night: Swanson vs Stevens (W)

57. Rob Font – UFC 175 (W)

58. Derrick Lewis – TUF Finale (W)

59. Jessamyn Duke – UFC Fight Night: Cerrone vs Miller (L)

   60.  Nikita Krylov – UFC Fight Night: McGregor vs Brandao (W)

   61.   Patrick Cummins – UFC on Fox: Lawler vs Brown (W)

   62.   Sam Alvey – UFC Fight Night: Bader vs Saint Preux (L)

   63.   Yuta Sasaki – UFC Fight Night: Bisping vs Le (W)

   64.   Ben Saunders – UFC Fight Night: Henderson vs dos Anjos (W)

   65.   Damon Jackson – UFC 177 (L)

   66.   Chas Skelly – UFC Fight Night: Jacare vs Mousasi (W)

   67.   Godofredo ‘Pepey’ Castro – UFC Fight Night: Bigfoot vs Arlovski (W)

   68.  Alex Caceres – UFC Fight Night: Hunt vs Nelson (L)

   69.  Cody Gibson – UFC 178 (L)

   70.  Marcin Bandel – UFC Fight Night: Nelson vs Story (L)

    71.  Jason Saggo -UFC Fight Night: MacDonald vs Saffiedine (L)

    72.  Yan Cabral – UFC 179 (W)