Fall River born fighter making debut this weekend in UFC, here is where to watch

After hard work and dedication, a Fall River born fighter has finally realized his dream and will fight in the UFC for the first time this weekend.

31-year-old Connor “The Controller” Matthews, an Air Force Combat Controller veteran who lives in East Freetown, defeated undefeated Jair Farias in October by unanimous decision in a featherweight matchup in Dana White’s UFC Contender Series and received a contract from the man himself.

Sporting a 7-1 pro MMA record, Matthews lone loss as a professional was in the 2022 Contender Series in August against undefeated Francis Marshall.

Matthews is a gritty and tenacious fighter, and will use those traits at UFC Fight Night on ESPN at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ on Saturday at 7:00 p.m.

Matthews’ challenger, Dennis Buzukja from Staten Island, NY, sports an 11-4 record.

In a fight week interview, Matthews stated that he is excited for the fight and that all of the hard work he has put in is finally coming to fruition.

The preliminary fights can be viewed on ESPN2/ESPN+ with the main card airing on ESPN/ESPN+ beginning at 10:00 p.m.