Matthews was one of the UFC’s earliest hopes for an Australian
star, as “The Celtic Kid” was a fresh-faced 19-year-old with a ton
of upside centered around an impressive wrestling and grappling
game. Matthews had his moments but never quite met his expected
heights as a lightweight, as he tended to get stalled out against
more physical opponents. That became less of an issue once he moved
up to welterweight, where his body was able to fill out and make
him a much more effective bully. However, Matthews has slowly
drifted towards a style that doesn’t take as much advantage of his
physical gifts. He can wrestle a bit as needed, but he’s now much
more comfortable as a patient striker who looks to stay defensive
and pick his spots. There are times when Matthews still looks
particularly sharp, most notably in his 2022 win over Andre
Fialho, but it’s an approach that has also led him to some
frustrating losses against better athletes who are simply more
willing to pick up the pace. After beating Phil Rowe in 2024,
Matthews gets what looks like a winnable fight against Argentina’s
Prado, who makes a move up from lightweight.
Still just 22 years old, Prado’s emblematic of the current crop of
Argentinian prospects, possessing the athletic capability to run
over a weak circuit but needing to round things out against better
competition. Thus far, Prado has managed to knock out Ottman
Azaitar but has otherwise done little but show his toughness
and durability in some hard-fought losses. There are some ways in
which this could go sideways for Matthews, who sometimes has his
struggles against more aggressive opposition, but unless this move
up in weight unlocks something unexpected for Prado, this looks
like a fight where the Australian can cruise to victory. The pick
is Matthews via decision.
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