AUSTRALIA’S Jake Matthews has revealed how losing a shot at UFC legend BJ Penn – plus, a new gold Rolex – has him now readying to upset undefeated Ecuadorian prospect Michael Morales in Las Vegas this Sunday.

Once the youngest fighter anywhere on the UFC roster, Matthews is now 29, a doting father, and preparing, after almost 10 years in the Octagon, to have his strongest crack yet at a welterweight title run.

Fight Night, Having twice gone on runs of three straight wins previously, the Aussie fighting mainstay now has another great opportunity against Morales — who is undefeated through 15 fights, three inside the Octagon — during Sunday’s UFC Fight Night co-main.

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Back a decade, Matthews was where Morales is now.

Yet this fighter who signed his first UFC contract at 19 – which, at the time, made him the youngest ever – insists it is all the lessons learned since that now have him ready for the best run of his UFC career.

Better, the Melbournian who won against Darrius Flowers at UFC 291 is only now, he insists, entering his fight peak.

Speaking with Fox Sports Australia this week from Las Vegas, Matthews recounted one of the key moments on which his own career changed: The first loss of his career in 2015, against undefeated American James Vick.

“I remember being told the winner of that fight, we were going to get a ranked opponent,” the Aussie recalls.

“Actually, they told me I was going to get BJ Penn if I won.

“It was going to be me versus BJ Penn in Sydney …”

Matthews, however, lost, while Penn would eventually fight Jon Fitch at UFC 127 in Sydney, which ended in a draw.

The start of a downfall that would eventually see the former champ lose seven straight.

But Matthews?

He remains an Australian fighting favourite.

“Although around the time of the Vick fight, I was extremely young and got ahead of myself,” he continues.

“I was already visiting the Rolex store picking out what watch I would get.

“Looking at new cars.

“I remember thinking ‘I’m going to beat James Vick, get myself a bonus – buy this, buy that – then fight BJ Penn’.

“I just had the wrong people around me.

“People telling me what I was going to be.

“And my head got too big.

“But I learned from that, and have learned from a lot of experiences.

“My excitement and enthusiasm now, it’s the same as when I was 19 … I just have a way smarter head on my shoulders.”

Wonderfully, there is some real synergy between his Penn story and Sunday’s fight, too.

“If this fight is what I think it is, the winner gets a ranked opponent,” Matthews continues.

“And that’s what I will be pushing for.

“Two fights back, I should’ve fought a ranked guy but ended up accepting whatever they gave me.

“But now I’ll sit and wait.

“If I win this fight, I’ve earned it.

“So break into the top 15 and within the year, two more fights, break into the top 10.

“That’s my goal for the next 12 months.

“I’ve got no intention to take the foot off the gas.

“Because I’ve already beaten guys who went (top 10).

“Beaten Andre Fialho, who was being talked up as UFC champion.

“I’m notorious for knocking these up and comers down a few rungs, too.

“And hopefully this week is no different.”

Matthews says he also now has a maturity that will help his career get the consistency required to go on a top 10 run.

“I’ve always tried hard,” he said

“That hasn’t changed.

“It’s just maturity on the night.

“And my ability to push through adversity.

“Which you can see in my last few fights.

“I’ve been here 10 years now too so I must be doing something right.”

So as for Morales?

“Being undefeated through 15 fights, that’s an accomplishment,” Matthews says.

“But he is also under pressure to try and keep that zero.

“And I’ve been in the Octagon 18 times.

“I’m comfortable.

“I know I can go three rounds, know I can submit people, know I can knock them out.”

All of which he credits to lessons like Vick.

“And without that loss who knows?” he says.

“Maybe I go fight BJ Penn, lose five straight and get kicked out of the UFC.

“But all of the different lessons I’ve learned over the years, they’ve all helped me progress.

“So even if I could go back, I wouldn’t really change anything.”