“Gifted” Gabe Green is getting a step up in competition against an Australian standout this May.
Green (11-4) will face TUF Nations alum Jake Matthews (18-6) at the UFC’s May 13, 2023 Fight Night event. The card doe not currently have a venue or broadcast plan officially announced.
Iridium Sports Agency, who represent Green, announced the news on Wednesday.
Strange as it may seem, Matthews, once the youngest fighter on the UFC roster, is now 28, in his prime, and approaching a decade on the roster. He joined the promotion by way of The Ultimate Fighter: Nations — Canada vs. Australia, losing to future PFL champ Olivier Aubin-Mercier in an episode aired in February 2014.
Later that year, Matthews landed in the UFC proper, winning his first two fights and extending his undefeated record to 9-0 before running into James Vick the following year, who would serve up his first loss.
Since then, Matthews has picked up notable wins over Diego Sanchez, Li Jingliang, and Andre Fialho, with the latter fight, last June, earning Matthews a Performance of the Night bonus. He returned to action in December, fighting in the final show of the year in a losing effort against Matthew Semelsberger.
Green is 2-2 in the UFC to date, and will enter the fight off a loss against Ian Garry. The former CXF champ holds wins over Yohan Lainesse and Phil Rowe under the Ultimate Fighting Championship banner.
The UFC’s May 13, 2023 event is expected to be headlined by light heavyweight standouts Anthony Smith and Johnny Walker. The following match-ups have been reported for the card thus far:
- Anthony Smith vs. Johnny Walker
- Jessica-Rose Clark vs. Tainara Lisboa
- Matt Brown vs. Court McGee
- Jailton Almeida vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik
- Mackenzie Dern vs. Angela Hill
- Jake Matthews vs. Gabe Green
