Jake Matthews left no doubt about his superiority at UFC Macau. Returning to the octagon after a previous setback, the Australian welterweight showcased one of the most complete performances of his career, decisively outclassing Carlston Harris over three rounds to earn a unanimous decision win at Galaxy Arena.
From the opening bell, Matthews established firm control, utilizing sharp boxing and relentless forward pressure. He consistently landed cleaner strikes in exchanges, connecting with precise combinations while effectively evading Harris’s counter-attacks. Despite Harris landing some effective leg kicks, he struggled to keep pace with Matthews’s output throughout the initial round.
The second round revealed another facet of Matthews’s skillset. After successfully defending an early takedown attempt, the 31-year-old Australian quickly transitioned to dominant positions on the ground. He advanced through side control and mount, threatening with various submission attempts, including close calls with an arm-triangle choke and a kimura. This put Harris on the defensive for the majority of the round.
Any hopes of a late comeback for Harris were extinguished early in the third round. Jake Matthews landed a powerful strike that sent Harris to the canvas, and Matthews immediately capitalized, securing top position. He maintained control for the remainder of the fight with suffocating grappling, actively seeking submissions while delivering damaging ground-and-pound strikes.
By the time the final bell rang, the outcome was clear. Two judges scored the fight 30-27, while a third judge awarded a 30-25 scorecard in favor of “The Celtic Kid.”
This victory halts Jake Matthews’s losing streak and improves his UFC record to 16 wins and 8 losses. His overall professional record now stands at 23 wins and 8 losses, with four victories in his last five Octagon appearances.
English Translation:
Jake Matthews Crushes Carlston Harris With Near-Flawless Performance At UFC Macau
Jake Matthews left little doubt about who the superior fighter was at UFC Macau. Returning to action after a previous setback, the Australian welterweight delivered one of the most complete performances of his career, dominating Carlston Harris across all three rounds en route to a unanimous decision victory on Saturday at Galaxy Arena.
“The Celtic Kid” established control from the opening bell with sharp boxing and relentless forward pressure. Matthews repeatedly beat Harris to the punch during striking exchanges, landing clean combinations while expertly avoiding most of the returning fire. Although Harris found some success with leg kicks, he struggled to match Matthews’ pace and output throughout the opening frame.
The second round showcased another side of Matthews’ game. After stuffing an early takedown attempt, the 31-year-old Aussie quickly found himself in dominant positions on the mat, advancing through side control and mount while threatening with multiple submissions. Matthews came close to securing both an arm-triangle choke and a kimura, forcing Harris into a defensive shell for much of the round.
Any hopes of a late comeback disappeared moments into the third. Jake Matthews connected with a powerful strike that sent Harris crashing to the canvas before immediately taking top position. From there, he controlled the remainder of the fight with suffocating grappling, hunting for submissions while mixing in damaging ground-and-pound.
When the final horn sounded, the result was never in question. Two judges scored the contest 30-27, while a third turned in a 30-25 scorecard in favor of “The Celtic Kid.”
The victory snaps Jake Matthews’ losing skid and improves his UFC record to 16-8. He now owns a professional record of 23-8 and has won four of his last five outings inside the Octagon.
