Jake Matthews (born 19 August 1994) is an Australian mixed martial artist currently competing in the Ultimate Fighting Championship's Welterweight division.
Born and raised in Melbourne, Australia, Matthews played Australian football for nine years in his youth, representing the Northern Knights for a season. To keep fit in the offseason, he began training in mixed martial arts out of a shed in the backyard of his parents' house, sparring with his younger brother and being coached by his father.
Matthews made his professional mixed martial arts debut at the age of 18 in September 2012 competing for regional promotions in the Greater Melbourne area where he compiled a record of 7âÂÂ0 prior to joining the UFC.
In December 2013, it was announced that Matthews would be a cast member on ', representing Australia at welterweight. Matthews went on to lose his opening fight in the tournament, dropping a unanimous decision to eventual finalist Olivier Aubin-Mercier and was subsequently eliminated from the show.
After winning a fight after his stint on TUF, Matthews made his official UFC debut on 28 June 2014 at UFC Fight Night 43, where he faced promotional newcomer Dashon Johnson in a lightweight bout. Matthews defeated Johnson via submission in the third round.
For his second fight with the promotion, Matthews faced Vagner Rocha on 8 November 2014 at UFC Fight Night 55. Matthews won the fight via second round submission.
Matthews faced James Vick on 10 May 2015 at UFC Fight Night 65. He lost the fight via submission in the first round.
Matthews was expected to face Mickael Lebout on 18 July 2015 at UFC Fight Night 72. However, Matthews pulled out of the fight on 9 July citing injury and was replaced by promotional newcomer Teemu Packalen.
Matthews faced Akbarh Arreola on 15 November 2015 at UFC 193. Matthews won via doctor stoppage between rounds 2 and 3, after scoring a takedown early in the second round and inflicting severe damage to Arreola's right eye with punches and elbows.
Matthews faced Johnny Case on 20 March 2016 at UFC Fight Night 85. He won the bout via submission in the third round. Both participants were awarded Fight of the Night.
Matthews was expected to face Stevie Ray on 8 July 2016 at . However, Ray pulled out of the fight on 2 June citing alleged visa issues and was replaced by Kevin Lee. Lee won via TKO in the first round.
Matthews next faced Andrew Holbrook on 27 November 2016 at UFC Fight Night 101. He lost the fight via split decision.
Matthews faced Bojan VeliÃÂkoviÃÂ in a welterweight bout on 19 November 2017 at UFC Fight Night 121. He won the fight via split decision.
Matthews faced Li Jingliang on 11 February 2018 at UFC 221. where he won via unanimous decision. This win earned him the Fight of the Night bonus. Jingliang later faced criticism for eye gouging Matthews whilst trying to escape a submission attempt.
Matthews faced Shinsho Anzai on 23 June 2018 at UFC Fight Night 132. He won the fight via rear-naked choke in the first round.
Matthews faced Anthony Rocco Martin on 2 December 2018 at UFC Fight Night 142. He lost the fight via an anaconda choke in round three.
Matthews faced Rostem Akman on 6 October 2019 at UFC 243. He won the fight via unanimous decision.
Matthews faced Emil Weber Meek on 23 February 2020 at . He won the fight via unanimous decision.
Matthews faced Diego Sanchez on 27 September 2020 at UFC 253. Matthews won the fight via unanimous decision.
Matthews faced Sean Brady on 6 March 2021 at UFC 259. He lost the fight via an arm triangle choke in round three.
Matthews was scheduled to face Jeremiah Wells on 4 December 2021 at UFC on ESPN 31. However, just hours before the event the bout was cancelled after one of WellsâÂÂs cornermen tested positive for COVID-19.
Matthews faced André Fialho on 11 June 2022, at UFC 275. He won the bout via knockout in the second round. This win earned him the Performance of the Night award.
Matthews faced Matthew Semelsberger on 17 December 2022 at UFC Fight Night 216. He lost the fight via unanimous decision.
Matthews was next expected to face Gabe Green on 13 May 2023 at UFC on ABC 4. However, Matthews withdrew from the bout due to injury and was replaced by Bryan Battle.
Matthews was scheduled to face Miguel Baeza at UFC 291 on 29 July 2023. However on 19 July Baeza pulled out due to an undisclosed reason. He was replaced by promotional newcomer Darrius Flowers. Matthews won the bout via a rear-naked choke submission in the second round.
Matthews faced Michael Morales on 18 November 2023, at UFC Fight Night 232. He lost the fight by unanimous decision.
Matthews faced Philip Rowe on 1 June 2024, at UFC 302. He won the fight by unanimous decision.
Matthews faced Francisco Prado on 9 February 2025, at UFC 312. He won the fight by unanimous decision.
Matthews faced Chidi Njokuani at UFC on ESPN 70 in Nashville, Tennessee on 12 July 2025. He won the fight via a rear-naked choke submission in the first round.
Matthews faced Neil Magny on 28 September 2025 at UFC Fight Night 260. After winning the first two rounds, he lost the fight via a brabo choke in round three.
Matthews has a daughter who was born on 5 January 2019. In 2023 it was revealed that Matthews had converted to Islam. He told Code Sports: "I was pretty well aligned with the ethics and morals of Islam for many years, it was a natural progression." "I told my mates this is what I wanted to do, and they didn't realise I was one hundred percent serious, but they didn't know I was on a journey of learning about it for over a year and a half," Matthews added. In the same interview Matthews mentioned he was "in talks with some of Khabib Nurmagomedov's crew about potentially training with him."
|- |Loss |align=center|22âÂÂ8 |Neil Magny |Submission (brabo choke) | | |align=center|3 |align=center|3:08 |Perth, Australia | |- |Win |align=center|22âÂÂ7 |Chidi Njokuani |Submission (rear-naked choke) | | |align=center|1 |align=center|1:09 |Nashville, Tennessee, United States | |- |Win |align=center|21âÂÂ7 |Francisco Prado |Decision (unanimous) |UFC 312 | |align=center|3 |align=center|5:00 |Sydney, Australia | |- |Win |align=center|20âÂÂ7 |Philip Rowe |Decision (unanimous) |UFC 302 | |align=center|3 |align=center|5:00 |Newark, New Jersey, United States | |- |Loss |align=center|19âÂÂ7 |Michael Morales |Decision (unanimous) | | |align=center|3 |align=center|5:00 |Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |- |Win |align=center|19âÂÂ6 |Darrius Flowers |Submission (rear-naked choke) |UFC 291 | |align=center|2 |align=center|2:37 |Salt Lake City, Utah, United States | |- |Loss |align=center|18âÂÂ6 |Matthew Semelsberger |Decision (unanimous) | | |align=center|3 |align=center|5:00 |Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |- |Win |align=center|18âÂÂ5 |André Fialho |KO (punches) |UFC 275 | |align=center|2 |align=center|2:24 |Kallang, Singapore | |- |Loss |align=center|17âÂÂ5 |Sean Brady |Submission (arm-triangle choke) |UFC 259 | |align=center|3 |align=center|3:28 |Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |- |Win |align=center|17âÂÂ4 |Diego Sanchez |Decision (unanimous) |UFC 253 | |align=center|3 |align=center|5:00 |Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates | |- |Win |align=center|16âÂÂ4 |Emil Weber Meek |Decision (unanimous) | | |align=center|3 |align=center|5:00 |Auckland, New Zealand | |- |Win |align=center|15âÂÂ4 |Rostem Akman |Decision (unanimous) |UFC 243 | |align=center|3 |align=center|5:00 |Melbourne, Australia | |- |Loss |align=center|14âÂÂ4 |Anthony Rocco Martin |Technical Submission (anaconda choke) | | |align=center|3 |align=center|1:19 |Adelaide, Australia | |- |Win |align=center|14âÂÂ3 |Shinsho Anzai |Technical Submission (rear-naked choke) | | |align=center|1 |align=center|3:44 |Kallang, Singapore | |- |Win |align=center|13âÂÂ3 |Li Jingliang |Decision (unanimous) |UFC 221 | |align=center|3 |align=center|5:00 |Perth, Australia | |- |Win |align=center|12âÂÂ3 |Bojan VeliÃÂkovià| Decision (split) | | |align=center|3 |align=center|5:00 |Sydney, Australia | |- |Loss |align=center|11âÂÂ3 |Andrew Holbrook | Decision (split) | | |align=center|3 |align=center|5:00 |Melbourne, Australia | |- |Loss |align=center|11âÂÂ2 |Kevin Lee |TKO (punches) | | |align=center|1 |align=center|4:06 |Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |- |Win |align=center|11âÂÂ1 |Johnny Case |Submission (rear-naked choke) | | |align=center|3 |align=center|4:45 |Brisbane, Australia | |- |Win |align=center|10âÂÂ1 |Akbarh Arreola |TKO (doctor stoppage) |UFC 193 | |align=center|2 |align=center|5:00 |Melbourne, Australia | |- |Loss |align=center|9âÂÂ1 |James Vick |Submission (guillotine choke) | | |align=center|1 |align=center|4:53 |Adelaide, Australia | |- |Win |align=center|9âÂÂ0 |Vagner Rocha |Technical Submission (rear-naked choke) | | |align=center|2 |align=center|1:52 |Sydney, Australia | |- |Win |align=center|8âÂÂ0 |Dashon Johnson |Submission (triangle choke) | | |align=center|3 |align=center|3:16 |Auckland, New Zealand | |- | Win | align=center| 7âÂÂ0 | Stuart Dare | Decision (unanimous) | Shamrock Events: Kings of Combat 12 | | align=center|3 | align=center|5:00 | Dandenong, Australia | |- | Win | align=center| 6âÂÂ0 | Dean Purdon | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Australian FC 6 | | align=center|2 | align=center|2:42 | Melbourne, Australia | | |- | Win | align=center| 5âÂÂ0 | Tadija Majic | TKO (punches) | Shamrock Events: Night of Mayhem 7 | | align=center|1 | align=center|2:25 | Dandenong, Australia | |- | Win | align=center| 4âÂÂ0 | Luke Jumeau | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Australian FC 5 | | align=center|2 | align=center|1:14 | Melbourne, Australia | | |- | Win | align=center| 3âÂÂ0 | Callan Potter | Submission (triangle choke) | Shamrock Events: Night of Mayhem 6 | | align=center|1 | align=center|1:42 | Keysborough, Australia | |- | Win | align=center| 2âÂÂ0 | Jason Zivkovic | TKO (punches) | Shamrock Events: Kings of Kombat 8 | | align=center|1 | align=center|0:23 | Melbourne, Australia | |- | Win | align=center| 1âÂÂ0 | Sam Fiamatai | TKO (punches) | Shamrock Events: Night of Mayhem 5 | | align=center|2 | align=center|1:47 | Dandenong, Australia |
| Loss | align=center| 0âÂÂ1 | Olivier Aubin-Mercier | Decision (unanimous) | | 27 February 2014 (airdate) | align=center|2 | align=center|5:00 | Quebec City, Quebec, Canada |