Athletes
Rhythm Is Gonna Get You: Why Timing Is Everything For Matheus Nicolau
After Learning A Harsh Lesson In His Last Outing, Matheus Nicolau Plans On using His Experience To Pick Up An Important Win in His First UFC Main Event.
The well-used adage in MMA is that you either win, or you learn. And for Matheus Nicolau, he hopes the lesson learned from defeat last time out will ultimately take him to a shot at the UFC flyweight title.
Nicolau is in Las Vegas for his latest fight, but this one's a little more special because, for the first time in his UFC career, he's the man on the poster as a main event fighter.
"One more step in my career, my first main event," he said.
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"I feel really excited to make the best of this opportunity, and also a lot of gratitude, because things that I always worked for and I always dreamed (for) are happening. So, gratitude and motivated – that's how I'm feeling.
"It was nice for the first time after 10 UFC fights to finally sign a poster with my picture on it. It feels great."
Nicolau was originally set to kick off 2024 with a bout against Manel Kape, but matchups with "Starboy" fell through twice, as Kape missed weight for their January meeting, causing the bout to be cancelled. The bout was rebooked for this weekend at UFC Vegas 91, but after Kape was again forced to withdraw, it left Nicolau having to switch focus, with former title challenger Alex Perez agreeing to step in as a replacement.
"I was a little bit frustrated, and also worried about what's going on: will they keep the fight, who am I going to fight, will I keep the main event?" Nicolau admitted.
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"But we got the fight with Perez, and right away I changed my mentality. The good thing is we had four weeks to make all the adjustments and all the changes that we needed from this training camp, so it was all good. We changed our mentality, we did all the homework, watched all his tape with my team, and I'm ready to get this victory."
Nicolau has been in outstanding form since joining the UFC, with his record inside the Octagon currently standing at 9-2. But his last outing saw him fall to a rare defeat, as he was knocked out in the first round by Brandon Royval. Nicolau has studied the tape and discovered that he'd made a crucial error that opened up the opportunity for his opponent.
"I think in my last fight maybe I wanted it too much. I wanted to finish the fight too much," he admitted.
Main Event Preview | UFC Fight Night: Nicolau vs Perez
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Main Event Preview | UFC Fight Night: Nicolau vs Perez
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"I'm used to starting the fight more slowly (with) more feints. I like it when my opponents come charging into me. That way I can study him, see his rhythm and stuff like that.
"I think I made the same rhythm in attack since the beginning of the fight. I did three or four really strong attacks, all with the same rhythm, and I think this helped him to study me and get the timing for the knee.
"When you have a defeat like that, or any kind of defeat, you're always thinking about, 'What could I do differently?' and that's one of the things.
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"You've got to change your rhythm all the time in the fight. That way, your opponent does not catch your rhythm, and it gets way more difficult for him. So I think that was one of the main things – change the rhythm."
With a crucial lesson learned about his timing and cadence, Nicolau returns to the Octagon to face Perez in Saturday night's five-round flyweight headliner. It's a bout that he's looking forward to, against an opponent he holds in high regard.
"Alex is a great challenge, a very difficult one. He's an experienced guy, has more than 25 fights. He's already been to a title fight, so he's already prepared for five rounds. He's a well-rounded guy. He's got a good striking game, heavy hands, heavy leg kicks, and a good wrestling background, as well.
"He showed in his last fight that he has really strong grappling defense, and is also good in the striking game. So I see this fight being a great challenge for me, and will put me one step higher in my career."
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Nicolau's plan is to eventually earn himself a shot at the flyweight title. But, despite knowing that victory will edge him closer to that goal, he's staying focused on the task at hand as he looks to get back into the win column against an experienced, dangerous opponent.
"I think a good win on Saturday will put me really, really close to the title shot, but to be honest with you, I don't really think about that right now. It's been more than a year since my last fight, and my last fight was so quick.
"So I'm really focused on enjoying the moment, having fun out there and (producing) the best performance I have ever put inside the Octagon. Then, if I get a good victory, good things, for sure, will happen."
A good victory is exactly what Nicolau is visualizing ahead of fight night at the UFC APEX, where he sees himself getting the win inside the distance to make a statement to the rest of the flyweight division.
"I really believe that I can finish him," he stated.
"It doesn't matter if we are in the striking game or in the grappling game, that will be the perfect night for me – to get my arm raised before the 25 minutes."
UFC Fight Night: Nicolau vs Perez took place live from UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada on April 27, 2024. See the final Prelims and Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC Fight Pass!
