UFC defines new opponent for Matheus Nicolau after canceled rematch with Kape

Matheus Nicolau has a new opponent in his quest to recover at flyweight (57 kg) in the UFC.

Originally, the Brazilian would face Manel Kape on April 27, in Las Vegas (USA), but the Angolan left the fight due to an injury. Therefore, the company announced, via social media, that the Minas Gerais native will continue in the ‘main event’ of the show and will compete with Alex Perezformer challenger for the category belt.

This was the second time that the rematch between Matheus and Kape fell through. The athletes were supposed to fight in January, but as the Angolan didn’t make weight to compete in the flyweight division, the duel ended up being cancelled. In his most recent appearance in the octagon, which took place in April 2023, the Brazilian was knocked out by Brandon Royval in the first round. The American suffered his third consecutive defeat in March, experiencing the worst moment of his career.

Matheus’ MMA record

Matheus Nicolau, 31 years old, is one of Brazil’s top names in the UFC flyweight division. Currently, the athlete is fifth in the category ranking. The Minas Gerais native began his career in MMA in 2010 and, in his career, built a record consisting of 19 wins, three defeats and one draw. His main triumphs were over David Dvorak, John Moraga, Manel Kape, Matt Schnell and Tim Elliott.