Del Valle (9-0) kept his undefeated record intact by submitting Matthews via first round rear-naked choke.

“I’m very happy. I’m realizing my childhood dreams of having the best job in the world that a fighter can have,” Del Valle told reporters including Cageside Press at his post-fight scrum.

“I feel like I graduated tonight. Like the doctor that graduated, spent his entire life studying to graduate, that’s how I feel today. I graduated.”

A heck of a graduation to say the least as Del Valle didn’t just win, but showed his chops on the ground. Normally known for being a striker his ground game shone bright.

“Truthfully my coaches and I were expecting the finish regardless of whether it came by knockout or submission. We did our job today and we finished the fight quicker than we expected,” he said.

“We were looking for the knockout, but it happens. The fight ended up on the ground and we finished it by rear-naked choke. I love that it happened that way because people think I can only strike. I can take the fight to the ground and dominate as well.”

With no injuries to speak of following the fight Del Valle is ready to return

“Thank God we came out with no injuries. I’ve got some business to handle when I get back to Houston including opening up my Cuban restaurant. I’ll get back to training as soon as possible right into fight camp, and wait for the call,” he said.

“We’ll be ready to fight anybody.”

Watch the entire post-fight scrum with Yadier Del Valle above.

* Translated by Cageside Press’ Eddie Law

The post Yadier Del Valle Felt Like A Graduate In First UFC Victory appeared first on Cageside Press.

del Valle was undefeated through his eight-fight professional MMA career, which had kicked off back in 2016. Matthews had come into the company by way of DWCS as well, in 2022, and had gone 2-2 through four UFC fights. The only problem, he’d lost his last two.

The opening round started and Del Valle got going with a hard inside leg kick, followed by one to the outside. He was active with the kicks early on, landing them with thudding power. Just minutes in, Matthews would get his kick caught and Del Valle got an easy takedown as a result. Connor Matthews worked to his knees but let Del Valle take his back and sink in the rear-naked choke. It didn’t take long before the tap came. A really clean and methodical performance by Yadier Del Valle in his promotional debut, and a very strong first impression.

With the victory, “The Cuban Problem” improves to 9-0 as a pro, with five of those victories coming by a mixture of knockouts and submissions.

Official Result: Yadier Del Valle def. Connor Matthews by Submission (rear-naked choke), Round 1, 2:54

The post UFC Vegas 106: Yadier del Valle Makes Strong Impression in Debut, Taps Connor Matthews appeared first on Cageside Press.

“I got the notice like 22 days out from the fight. So whatever the date that was, I think it was like a Thursday or something like that,” Matthews said. “I didn’t expect it short notice for me, but when the boss calls, you got to answer.”

Of course like any other fighter, Matthews would have liked his full training camp. However, he does recognize that there are benefits to a slightly shorter one and it may have him in the perfect place for Saturday.

“I’m feeling healthy and feeling ready. So I was like, yeah, let’s do it. Three weeks is definitely enough time for me to make weight,” he said. “Everybody wants to have a full on camp if you can get it. But, you know, I’m a professional fighter. So I’m ready to fight at all times. I always stay healthy. I’m staying ready. Sometimes you’ll have a full fight camp and you get hurt in the fight camp, and that’ll ruin things.”

The opportunity this weekend comes against UFC newcomer Matheus Camilo. While the hype is on Camilo, Matthews feels like he knows the soft spot in his armor.

“I think, you know, looking at his record, everybody he’s fought, it seems like anybody who’s kind of a challenging record, it seems like it goes to decision. He’s not a big finisher. So, you know, that’s kind of, you know, that’s kind of good for me. I feel like he seems like he gases out a little bit. He gets tired,” Matthews explained. “I feel comfortable on my feet, and I feel like he’s gonna gas. I feel like I have a really good gas tank and I’m just gonna bring it to him. I feel like I have a good chance of making this guy get tired and then picking him apart.”

You can catch his fight with Camilo as part of the ESPN+ prelims of UFC Vegas 106. That portion of the card begins at 4pm EST.

You can also check out the entire audio of this interview on the latest edition of the Top Turtle MMA Podcast. The interview airs at 38:03. 

The post UFC Vegas 106’s Connor Matthew Discusses Short Notice Opportunity appeared first on Cageside Press.

Kicking off this UFC Vegas 106 edition of TTP is our interview with UFC featherweight, Julian Erosa. Erosa discusses his recent quick win over Darren Elkins and how he felt like he barely got the chance to fight. Given that, he decided it was time for a fight on a quick turnaround. Now he breaks down his fight with Melquizael Costa for us that takes place this weekend.

Fights, Dogs, and Parlays: UFC Vegas 106 (23:19)

Following UFC 315, the UFC heads back to its home inside of the Apex in Vegas. But just because they’re back in the Apex doesn’t mean there aren’t some bangers on this card. It’s headlined by former title challenger Gilbert Burns as he looks to defend his spot against Michael Morales. Plus, the co-main sees the always exciting Paul Craig as he comes back to light heavyweight to take on prospect Rodolfo Bellato. We’ll break down those fights as well as some of our other favorite fights on the main card. Plus, as always, we’re hitting you with an underdog and a plus-money parlay that we think will make your wallet fat this weekend. For this segment, all odds via FanDuel Sportsbook.

Mairon Santos Interview (28:37)

Next up on this UFC Vegas 106 edition of TTP is our interview with UFC lightweight, Mairon Santos. Santos talks about his time in the Ultimate Fighter house and how training has changed for him since then. Then he talks about the big matchup he was given for this week and his plans to make a quick run up the rankings.

Connor Matthews Interview (38:03)

Closing out this UFC UFC Vegas 106 edition of TTP is our interview with UFC featherweight, Connor Matthews. Matthews takes a second to hype up his teammates, both of which are on the verge of big fights that could land them on Contender Series. Then he discusses his fight with UFC rookie Yadier del Valle.

The post TTP Ep. 480: Julian Erosa, Mairon Santos, Connor Matthews, and UFC Vegas 106 appeared first on Cageside Press.

While Delgado was getting his first taste of the true UFC experience, 2023 DWCS winner Matthews had dropped his own debut to Dennis Buzukja last year.

There was a quick start between Matthews and Delgado with both men ready to work from the get-go. Delgado flashed some nasty kicks and off one, he spun around into a spinning back fist that nearly caught Matthews clean. There didn’t seem to be much in the way of jitters from Delgado; the back fist, meanwhile, had opened up a cute over Matthews’ eye.

Moments later, a right hand over the top by Jose Delgado knocked Matthews down. The newcomer jumped at the opportunity, and jumped on Matthews, landing enough ground n’ pound to force the ref in to make the save. Matthews was slow to get back to his feet as Delgado told cameras that he was the best in the world, and that “I want this bad.”

A flashy, dazzling display in the debut of Jose Delgado, who put himself on the map with this performance. “I’m young in this game but I’m 16 years in,” Delgado exclaimed following the fight. “I’m here to be the best. Every time I step out there, that’s what you guys are going to see” he added later.

Official Result: Jose Delgado def. Connor Matthews by KO, Round 1, 2:58

The post UFC Vegas 102: Jose Delgado Stops Connor Matthews in Dazzling Debut appeared first on Cageside Press.

“For a couple of years after I got out of the military, I was working at Lauzon MMA. And I was just teaching classes there,” Matthew explained. “My whole dream, my whole life is, you know, outside of being a UFC fighter, is I want to open my own gym”

Following the tough year of 2020, Matthews decided it was time to pull the trigger. He looked at nearby spaces for rent in Massachusetts and eventually found a location for his first gig. That, unfortunately, would be short lived.

“I took the chance after the pandemic. I actually was renting space from a CrossFit gym. I had running classes, kid classes, adult classes – but unfortunately, the CrossFit gym that I was renting from ended up closing their doors because they didn’t get the customers back like they did prior to the pandemic,” he said. “That being said, I had a mat. I had everything. But the gym closed. So, I was kind of screwed for a little while.”

Luckily for Matthews, he had the perfect support system. His parents jumped right in and gave him an avenue to continue what he was doing.

“My parents were like, ‘hey, you can just put your mats in the basement for a little while until you find a new space’. And that’s what I did,” Matthews said. “I put the mats down there, started running my kids’ classes, started training. In the meantime, I ended up getting this Contender Series fight, winning my fight, and that kind of took over.”

Once again, his other goal – the one of being a UFC fighter – has given him a slight detour from owning that gym. However, what he has right now is higher level than anyone truly realizes.

“Right now, I’m not really running the classes the way I was before. I’m just kind of focused on training myself, and I love it, man,” he explained. “You know, rent’s cheap, first of all. But I still have a lot of pro fighters come down. I just did my last rounds in my cage in my basement with Nick Fiore, who was a prior UFC fighter as well.”

But it’s not just Nick Fiore who pops in. There are plenty of pro and even former UFC fighters who make appearances. Althought those appearances are great, it’s a couple of regulars that have Matthews at his very best for his upcoming fight.

“I’m sure, at first, you go, oh, my God, this guy’s training out of his basement. Like, who knows? But, like I said, it doesn’t really matter,” he said. “We got good coaches down here and good training partners. I got my really consistent guys that are coming up in Andrew Valdina and Joe Poirier. They’re down there, like, every night with me.”

We’ll see the fruits of mom’s basement this Saturday as Connor Matthew takes on Jose Delgado. That fights takes place as part of the UFC Vegas 102 main card starting at 7pm EST on ESPN+.

You can hear the entire audio of this interview at 25:53.

The post UFC Vegas 102’s Connor Matthews Talks Training in Mom’s Basement appeared first on Cageside Press.

Kicking off this UFC Vegas 102 edition of TTP is our interview with UFC bantamweight, Vince Morales. Morales discusses his mental space between his two stints in the UFC and why it helps him get to the place he’s at today. Plus, he talks about his rare submission he scored over Hunter Azure and offers a new name for the maneuver. Then he breaks down some of the work behind this fight camp, which includes sharing a house with a few people cutting weight. Then he offers a prediction for what we can expect this weekend at UFC vegas 102.

Fights, Dogs, and Parlays: UFC Vegas 102 (17:31)

After an eventful UFC 312, the UFC heads back to the Apex for a fight night fight card. Headlined by Jared Cannonier and Gregory Rodrigues – this one is sure to have plenty of action as well as some real meaningful stakes in the middleweight division. Plus, Calvin Kattar attempts to defend his spot in the rankings against the up-and-comer Youssef Zalal. We’ll break down those fights as well as some of our other favorite fights on the main card. Plus, as always, we’re hitting you with an underdog and a plus-money parlay that we think will make your wallet fat this weekend. For this segment, all odds via FanDuel Sportsbook.

Connor Matthews Interview (25:53)

Closing out this UFC Vegas 102 edition of TTP is our interview with featherweight, Connor Matthews. Matthews discusses the time he spent in between Dana White Contender Series bouts and why he never lost the faith in the process. Plus, he digs into his unique training situation, which involved mats in his mom’s basement. All of that and, of course, we’re talking about his upcoming fight. He let’s us know his thoughts on his opponent and gives us a prediction for the finish.

The post TTP Ep. 467 with Vince Morales, Connor Matthews, and UFC Vegas 102 appeared first on Cageside Press.

“If there was ever a win to feel good for it was this one. I was down 2 in the UFC, had a long road to get here, dropped the first one short notice, and then second one just a horrible night in my hometown of New York,” Buzukja told reporters including Cageside Press at his post-fight scrum.

“Battled a lot of demons the last few months just with myself and with people. Kind of losing belief.”

Buzukja (12-4) detailed a tough time the last few months in which he questioned whether or not he belonged in the professional fight game.

“Thinking man is this for me? Am I following the right path? I trusted God, I’ve got a great team, great people around me. God is on my side always man and I believe that. This…this was a really important win for me,” he said.

“I’m so happy to have earned it against a really tough guy.”

Now back in the win column, and his self-belief intact, Buzukja knows he belongs.

“I felt free going in there. I don’t know if you saw me, but I was singing to my walkout song. I felt at home. I felt like this place is mine. This cage is mine. I belong here,” he said.

“I told myself that and I believed in that. There’s two things in this world. It’s patience and belief in yourself, and you have those two things. As long as you keep going then really nothing can stop you.”

Watch the entire post-fight scrum with Dennis Buzukja above.

The post Dennis Buzukja Questioned Whether He Belonged In UFC appeared first on Cageside Press.

The featherweight fight found Buzukja with his back against the wall, having lost his first two fights in the promotion, to Sean Woodson and Jamall Emmers.

The fight started and Matthews opened up with a body kick. Buzukja landed a nice leg kick as both traded kicks back and forth. Buzukja was winging punches but Matthews was the one landing. Matthews was doing a good job of switching stances giving Buzukja different looks. He did walk into a knee and right hook from Buzukja but he took it well. Matthews was doing well at range with his kicks to the legs and body. Buzukja started to pull away with his hands at least with the bigger shots. With a minute left Buzukja settled in and was picking his spots nicely with the right hook, kicks, and jab.

In round two Matthews was aggressive but good leg kicks from Buzukja were landing. The jab from Buzukja and then a right hook over the top by Buzukja landed. Matthews probably knew he was behind in the fight so he turned up the pressure. Matthews was landing well with the kicks but Buzukja would back him up when he let his hands go. Buzukja had more power in his hands and that became the difference to that point in the fight. Matthews did well with the teep and right-hand. He was able to close the distance and get Buzukja down and jump on his back. Matthews was too sloppy and Buzukja scrambled back up. To close the round Matthews landed a right hook as Buzukja was visibly tired.

In the final round, Dennis Buzukja out of the gate dropped Matthews with left, right on the temple. He swarmed Matthews with ground and pound; Matthews just curled up and the ref stepped in.

Official Result: Dennis Buzukja def. Connor Matthews by TKO (left hook and GNP), Round 3, 0:22

The post UFC Atlantic City: Dennis Buzukja Scores First UFC Win, Stops Connor Matthews appeared first on Cageside Press.

“The Controller,” with a 7-1 record as a pro, made two appearances on Dana White’s Contender Series and one on the UFC CEO‘s other show, Lookin’ for a Fight, and finally landed a spot in the promotion last year.

That second Contender Series bout, which saw him notch a win over the previously undefeated Jair Farias, was unquestionably critical to Matthews’ career.

“The stakes were high. That was my third fight at the time fighting in front of Dana, I was 31 years old, so if I didn’t get that win, I probably wasn’t even going to make it to the UFC,” Matthews told Cageside Press in an exclusive interview.

Of course, having that sort of high pressure experience had a silver lining.

“What it did for me was it gave me a little bit of experience dealing with high stakes. A championship fight, or a fight that was life or death almost for me, for my fighting career. It kind of helped me in that I had to deal with that stress while I was preparing to get in the cage for that fight. That’s just experience. Experience wins fights, experience is very important in this game, and that gave me a lot of experience.”

On top of that, Matthews also got an extra look at the UFC’s home base, the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. “I got to fight in the Apex two times, fighting in that big stage, it’s basically the UFC. There’s nothing different between Contenders and the UFC besides your gloves don’t say UFC on them.”

At UFC Atlantic City this Saturday, Connor Matthews has been paired up with Dennis Buzukja, who is 0-2 through two UFC fights to date.

“I look at this fight as, he’s a fighter whose back is against the wall. If he doesn’t get this fight, he’s probably going to get cut from the UFC,” explained Matthews. “So that’s dangerous to me. That’s somebody that’s going to be fighting like their life depends on it, just like I was for my two Contender Series fights, my last two fights for Dana White’s Lookin’ for a Fight and the Contender Series fight.”

Matthews expects Buzukja to be training “a little bit extra hard for this fight camp, to keep himself alive,” and has prepared accordingly. “He’s a tough kid, I’m not taking this fight lightly at all. I’m preparing for the best. We’re in the UFC, there’s no easy fights in the UFC.”

Watch our full interview with UFC Atlantic City featherweight Connor Matthews above.

The post UFC Atlantic City’s Connor Matthews Was In “Life or Death” Spot In Career Before Landing in UFC appeared first on Cageside Press.