UFC Fight Night: Jake Matthews calls out Joe Ellenberger after win over Vagner Rocha

JAKE Matthews has signalled his intent to climb the UFC lightweight ranks, calling out American Joe Ellenberger following his stunning victory in Sydney.

UFC Fight Night Sydney at All Phones Arena in Homebush. MMA sensation from Australia Jake Matthews (left) defeats Vagner Rocha from USA via submission in the 2nd round.

JAKE Matthews has signalled his intent to climb the UFC lightweight ranks, calling out American Joe Ellenberger following his stunning victory in Sydney.

Matthews, the second youngest fighter on the UFC roster, proved too strong for Vagner Rocha at UFC Fight Night in Sydney on Saturday, defeating the Brazilian by rear-naked choke in the second round.

And after two wins from as many fights in the UFC, Matthews wants a showdown against Ellenberger.

“I’ve been having a look around and I want to fight some bigger names,” Matthews said post fight.

Jake Matthews connects with an overhand right on Vagner Rocha.

“I’m a big Conor McGregor fan, so I’d love to get on that card in January. I’d like to fight Joe Ellenberger. No disrespect but he’s got a good name behind him and I thought ‘why not’. It’s another step up again, so if Ellenberger’s down for Boston in January, let’s do it.”

After winning the opening round with powerful leg kicks and with strength in the clinch, Matthews stepped it up in the second round.

He cracked Rocha hard with a superman punch, which appeared to daze him, and followed up with a series of punches.

Jake Matthews performs a backflip after beating Vagner Rocha.

Down on the canvas, Matthews sunk in the hooks in for a rear-choke choke but Rocha tried to roll out of it and Matthews tightened his grip.

Asked if he knew when he was out, Matthews replied: “I could feel him go limp, yeah, but I knew he wasn’t going to tap so I had to squeeze every bit of energy into that choke.

“I knew I had it deep but you never want to let anything like that off because in the last second when he’s about to tap, you let it go so you never know.”

Despite an eye-catching win, 20-year-old Matthews know he has plenty to improve on.

“I’ll work on my overall game plan,” he said.

“My striking’s come a long way, especially since my fight in Auckland in June, so I’ll keep working on my stand up and there’s little things I’ve picked out here ... I was hesitating a little bit and I thought he was going to shoot me, which he didn’t, and I’ll work on my wrestling.”

Matthews’ training partner Daniel Kelly also won his debut fight on the Sydney card, submitting Luke Zachrich in the opening round.

Originally published as UFC Fight Night: Jake Matthews calls out Joe Ellenberger after win over Vagner Rocha