Magny submits Matthews after disputed opening-round stoppage

Neil Magny rallied from near-defeat to submit Jake Matthews in the third round of a welterweight bout at UFC Perth on Saturday night at RAC Arena in Perth, Australia, but the result was overshadowed by a disputed referee intervention late in the opening round. Magny locked in a Darce choke at 3:08 of round three to force a tap and secure the official victory.

The fight’s pivotal moment came in the closing seconds of round one, when Matthews appeared to have Magny trapped in a tight guillotine along the fence. The referee stepped in as Magny’s arm moved in a limp motion, prompting a brief stoppage. Magny protested as soon as he was released and the official reversed the action, ruling that the round had ended and allowing the bout to continue. Matthews maintained control in the second, nearly finishing Magny again with a triangle attempt, but Magny defended and survived.

With momentum shifted in the third, Magny landed a combination that visibly hurt Matthews, took him down and secured the Darce choke that produced the submission. The outcome extended Magny’s run of notable late-fight comebacks and brought him to 24 wins inside the UFC, the second-most in company history.