Falcons LT Jake Matthews, LB Nate Landman return to practice

Falcons LT Jake Matthews and LB Nate Landman returned to practice on Thursday

The Atlanta Falcons listed 10 players on their Wednesday injury report, but the team appears to be trending in the right direction as we get closer to Sunday’s NFC South matchup against the Carolina Panthers.

According to ESPN’s Michael Rothstein, left tackle Jake Matthews, right guard Chris Lindstrom, linebacker Nate Landman and defensive lineman Calais Campbell returned to practice on Thursday. Right tackle Kaleb McGary and defensive lineman David Onyemata were both held out.

Defensive lineman Kentavius Street was out once again, but that was expected as head coach Arthur Smith already ruled him out for Sunday’s game. Check back this afternoon for the team’s full Thursday injury report.

Falcons Week 15 depth chart

Updated NFL draft order

4 questions the Falcons must answer

Falcons Twitter rips Ridder, Smith

10 takeaways from Week 14

Falcons LT Jake Matthews questionable to return vs. Bucs

Falcons LT Jake Matthews is questionable to return vs. Buccaneers

The Atlanta Falcons entered Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers without two starting offensive linemen and they may have lost a third before halftime.

Left tackle Jake Matthews is questionable to return and has been replaced by Tyler Vrabel in the starting lineup. Vrabel was one of the team’s two practice-squad elevations for Week 14.

The Falcons tied the game up at 10 in the second quarter on a 36-yard Kyle Pitts touchdown reception.

UFC Fight Night 232 post-event facts: Brendan Allen on an all-time submission streak

Check out all the facts from UFC Fight Night 232, which saw Brendan Allen put him name in the books with Royce Gracie and Demian Maia.

The UFC closed its November schedule on Saturday with UFC Fight Night 232, which took place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas and saw 10 of 14 fights end in a stoppage.

One of those finishes belonged to main event winner [autotag]Brendan Allen[/autotag] (23-5 MMA, 11-2 UFC), who submitted [autotag]Paul Craig[/autotag] (17-7-1 MMA, 9-7-1 UFC) with a rear-naked choke in the third round of their middleweight clash, extending his winning streak to six and putting him in the discussion among the more serious contenders in the weight class.

For more on the numbers behind Allen’s performance, as well as the rest of the card, check below for MMA Junkie’s post-event facts from UFC Fight Night 232.

UFC Fight Night 232 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Top earners get $16,000

UFC Fight Night 232 fighters took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay, a program that continued after the UFC’s deal with Venum.

LAS VEGAS – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 232 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $158,500.

The program, a comprehensive plan that includes outfitting requirements, media obligations and other items under the fighter code of conduct, replaces the previous payments made under the UFC Athlete Outfitting Policy.

UFC Fight Night 232 took place at the UFC Apex. The entire card streamed on ESPN+.

The full UFC Fight Night 232 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Brendan Allen[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Paul Craig[/autotag]: $16,000

[autotag]Michael Morales[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Jake Matthews[/autotag]: $16,000

[autotag]Chase Hooper[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Jordan Leavitt[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Payton Talbott[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Nick Aguirre[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Amanda Ribas[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Luana Pinheiro[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Myktybek Orolbai[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Uros Medic[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Joanderson Brito[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Jonathan Pearce[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Jose Johnson[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Chad Anheliger[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Christian Duncan[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Denis Tiuliulin[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Mick Parkin[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Caio Machado[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Jeka Saragih[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Lucas Alexander[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Ailin Perez[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Lucie Pudilova[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Trey Ogden[/autotag]: $4,500
vs. [autotag]Nikolas Motta[/autotag]: $4,500

[autotag]Rafael Estevam[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Charles Johnson[/autotag]: $6,000

Under the UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance program’s payout tiers, which appropriate the money generated by Venum’s multi-year sponsorship with the UFC, fighters are paid based on their total number of UFC bouts, as well as Zuffa-era WEC fights (January 2007 and later) and Zuffa-era Strikeforce bouts (April 2321 and later). Fighters with 1-3 bouts receive $4,000 per appearance; 4-5 bouts get $4,500; 6-10 bouts get $6,000; 11-15 bouts earn $11,000; 16-20 bouts pocket $16,000; and 21 bouts and more get $21,000. Additionally, champions earn $42,000 while title challengers get $32,000.

In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-30 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.

Full 2023 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $7,464,000
2022 total: $8,351,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $21,983,000

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 232.

Jake Matthews: Win over Michael Morales ‘definitely deserves’ ranked opponent next

UFC veteran Jake Matthews wants an opponent with a number next to his name if he beats Michael Morales at Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 232.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Jake Matthews[/autotag] wants to get a crack at the top 15 of the UFC’s welterweight division, and he believes a win in his next bout will get him just that.

Matthews returns to the octagon this weekend in the co-main event of UFC Fight Night 232. Matthews (19-6 MMA, 12-6 UFC) takes on unbeaten prospect Michael Morales. It’s a big welterweight bout given Matthews’ tenure and Morales’ (15-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) rise in the division. The Australian is confident a ranked opponent will be next for him, if victorious on Saturday.

“It’s the kind of fight where one of us is going to go on and fight a ranked opponent next, 100 percent,” Matthews told reporters at Wednesday’s UFC Fight Night 232 media day. “I’ve been in this situation a number of times throughout my career, so I know how to deal with it. I’ve had fights where if I won those fights, I probably should’ve gotten a ranked opponent after, and I settled for someone who wasn’t ranked.

“If we get the win this weekend, I’m going to sit and wait for a ranked guy to accept. However long it takes because getting a win over a guy like Michael, it definitely deserves a ranked opponent after.”

Both Matthews and Morales are no strangers to quick finishes. However, Matthews is preparing for a standup war and believes his experience will get him to victory.

“I always expect three rounds, but anything can happen,” Matthews said. “It would be good to get in and out quick, but I always expect a war in every fight that I get into. I got multiple Fight of the Night bonuses, so I know I can go into deep waters and get those 15 minutes in. I know I can knock guys out early in the fight, and I know I can sub guys as well. However, the fight goes, we’re ready. It’s definitely going to be a striking-heavy fight. We’re both primarily boxers. It’s whoever can implement their game plan.”

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=420030788]

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 232.

Video: UFC Fight Night 232 media day interviews

Before UFC Fight Night 232 on Saturday, watch as the main card athletes speak to reporters at media day.

LAS VEGAS – UFC Fight Night 232, which takes place at the UFC Apex with a card that streams entirely on ESPN+, goes down Saturday.

Before the fights arrive, though, notable athletes from the main card spoke to reporters Wednesday at media day.

If you happen to miss any of the individual sessions on the live stream, check below for the archived videos of each media day.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 232.

Matchup Roundup: New UFC and Bellator fights announced in the past week (Sept. 18-24)

All the UFC and Bellator fight announcements that were first reported or confirmed by MMA Junkie in the past week.

MMA fight announcements are hard to follow. With so many outlets and channels available, it’s nearly impossible to organize.

But here at MMA Junkie, we’ve got your back.

Each week, we’ll compile all the newly surfaced fights in one spot. Every Monday, expect a feature listing everything you might have missed from the UFC or Bellator.

Here are the fight announcements that were broken or confirmed by MMA Junkie or officially announced by the promotions from Sept. 18-24.

Jake Matthews to be inducted in the Texas A&M Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2023

Friday night will mark a special moment for Aggie football legend Jake Matthews, who will be inducted into the Texas A&M Athletics Hall of Fame.

Friday night will mark a special moment for one of the best to ever wear the Maroon and White. Aggie football legend Jake Matthews will be inducted as a member of the Texas A&M Athletics Hall of Fame Class of 2023.

Matthews is the son of Hall of Fame offensive tackle Bruce Matthews, and he would go on to become one of the top linemen to play for the Aggies in the 2010s. As a four-year starter, he finished as a two-time first-team All-American and a finalist for the Outland Trophy during his senior year.

While Matthews proved impactful in all four seasons, fans will remember how he helped Texas A&M reach unrivaled success in 2012, their first season in the SEC. He would be a fulcrum in blocking for Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Manziel. That year, A&M became the first SEC program to finish with over 7,000 yards of total offense (7,261 yards) in a single season.

Matthews’ collegiate success would lead him to the NFL, where he was selected No. 6 overall by the Atlanta Falcons in 2014. He has been the epitome of consistency, currently holding the longest starting streak among offensive linemen, with 145 consecutive games played.

The 45th Burgess Banquet will be held at the Ford Hall of Champions at Kyle Field, with the event starting at 7 p.m. CT. A well deserved congratulations to Jake Matthews, and best of luck throughout the rest of the NFL season!

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Pete on Twitter: @PeteThreee.

Former Aggie and Pro-Bowler Jake Matthews named to the 2023 Hall of Fame Class

Former Aggie Offensive lineman Jake Matthews named to the 2023 Athletics Hall of Fame

If you have been following Texas A&M football, then you know that Matthews’s name has been synonymous with protecting Aggie quarterbacks for almost two decades. So, with Jake Matthews being named one of the eight inductees into the 2023 Athletics Hall of Fame, it further enshrines his family name in the Texas A&M record books.

The former Aggie offensive lineman was a four-year starter during one of the most exciting eras in Texas A&M history. Having played during 2010-2013, Matthews helped lead the team to one of its best statical seasons in 2012, breaking school records for passing, scoring, and total offense. That memorable run also produced the legend of Johnny Manziel, who went on to run away with the Heisman Trophy as a freshman behind Jake and the rest of the offensive line.

One of the best traits everyone looks for is being available. While in college, he had 46 consecutive starts, and since entering the NFL, he is one of two people to start every game since 2015.

He is a pros pro and a great ambassador for Texas A&M, providing a blueprint for any young offensive lineman. Below you can find a few of his accomplishments.

  • Unanimous All-American
  • 2x First-team All-American
  • 2x First-team All-SEC
  • Jacobs Blocking Trophy (SEC)
  • Bobby Bowden Award

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on Twitter, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes, and opinions. Follow Jarrett Johnson on Twitter: @whosnextsports1.

[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=7]

[mm-video type=playlist id=01fvdd4pnb49trk727 player_id=01f5k5y2jb3twsvdg4 image=]

Jake Matthews breaks down that Kevin Holland run-in at UFC 291 weigh-ins, hopes for fight

Jake Matthews beat short-notice replacement Darrius Flowers at UFC 291, but a run-in with Kevin Holland could lead to a fight.

SALT LAKE CITY – [autotag]Jake Matthews[/autotag] beat Darrius Flowers with a second-round submission Saturday on the preliminary card at UFC 291 at Delta Center in Salt Lake City.

Take a look inside the fight with Matthews, whose most recent two wins are by stoppage after a stretch of three straight by decision.