UFC lightweight Matt Sayles doesn’t have many positive things to say about his next opponent Jordan Leavitt.
Leavitt is an “unorthodox” fighter with few striking and kickboxing skills, along with “high-school level wrestling,” Sayles said in an interview with The AllStar’s John Hyon Ko.
“When I look at him I don’t see a great fighter I see a one-dimensional” opponent, Sayles said. “I’m sure he’d say the same about me.”
The 27-year-old returns to the Octagon after a two-year hiatus to face Leavitt at UFC Vegas 45 on Dec. 18.
“I see high-school level wrestling. The striking is not there. I can teach a kid to do better. So I just want to go out there and stop the takedown. Show my improvement on the wrestling and the ground. I might get taken down [but] no way he’s going to do anything. The improvement I made in these two years off especially coming off that submission loss. The leaps and bounds in jiu-jitsu. So it’s just gonna be a bad night for him. I see me just keeping it on the feet and picking him apart.
Matt Sayles
Sayles also talks about:
- Ballooning up to 250 pounds in 2020
- Focus on grappling during time away from fighting
- Changed mindset with new baby
Watch more on The AllStar’s YouTube channel.
Fighter profile
Matt Sayles is a 27 year old male fighter from the United States with 8 pro wins and 3 losses.
Sayles’s recent form coming into this matchup
Sayles has gone 3-2 in the last 5 professional MMA fights.
- Loss vs Bryce Mitchell • Submission R1 4:20 • 2019-12-07
- Win vs Kyle Nelson • Submission R3 3:16 • 2019-05-04
- Loss vs Sheymon Moraes • Decision R3 5:00 • 2018-08-04
- Win vs Yazan Hajeh • KO/TKO R1 1:57 • 2018-06-19
- Win vs Christian Aguilera • KO/TKO R1 1:51 • 2017-03-25
Next opponent: Jordan “The Monkey King” Leavitt
Leavitt’s recent form coming into this matchup
Leavitt is a 26 year old male fighter from United States with 8 pro wins and 1 losses.
Leavitt has gone 4-1 in the last 5 professional MMA fights.
- Loss vs Claudio Puelles • Decision R3 5:00 • 2021-06-05
- Win vs Matt Wiman • KO/TKO R1 0:22 • 2020-12-05
- Win vs Luke Flores • Submission R1 4:15 • 2020-08-04
- Win vs Leivon Lewis • Submission R2 2:01 • 2020-07-17
- Win vs Izzy William • Decision R3 3:00 • 2020-02-22
How to watch and bet on Matt Sayles vs Jordan Leavitt
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