Matheus Nicolau opens up about his dismissal and triumphant return to Ultimate and analyzes this Saturday's fight

M. Nicolau is a promising Brazilian in the UFC flyweight division. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram

Brazilian promise in the flyweight (up to 56,7kg) of Ultimate, Matheus Nicolau is back and in a great moment in his career. Opponent of Tim Elliott in one of the main fights of the UFC Las Vegas 39, which takes place this Saturday (9), the fighter spoke exclusively to SUPER FIGHTS. Dismissed by the company in 2018, he explained the situation and analyzed this weekend's commitment.

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After two clashes since leaving the organization in 2018 and triumphant return with victory over Manel kape, in March of this season, Nicolau is ready to resume his journey towards the top of the flyweight division. Willing to make history for the UFC, the fighter narrated part of the process from leaving until resuming his career within the company.

From TUF highlight to unexpected layoff

Representative of TUF (The Ultimate Fighter) 4, Matheus was the highlight of the edition, reaching the semifinals and winning the contract, even losing the decisive confrontation against Dileno Lopes. After three victories as a professional in Ultimate, the Brazilian suffered defeat against Dustin Ortiz. Even with the recent positive outlook, the athlete ended up being cut, to the surprise of many fans and the fighter himself. The miner then explained the moment.

“At the time, they (Ultimate board) had the idea of ​​ending the (flyweight) category. They had just changed the Demetrious Johnson (legend of the group) by Ben Askren (transaction with ONE Championship). They were at an impasse. Everyone who came from defeat, they sent away. Unfortunately, it was the wrong time to have my defeat. It was at the same time as the current champion, Brandon Moreno, was also turned off. That's when (Henry) Cejudo won the belt, Deiveson (Figueiredo) came as champion, had good fights and I think they (UFC) gave the category a 'wake up call'. When they changed the champion – Demetrious was at the top for a long time – they changed their mind and kept the flyweight,” said the fighter.

Was returning always the goal?

Since his controversial departure from Ultimate, Nicolau has refused to stand still. The athlete had two fights during this period, winning on both occasions, one for Future FC and the other for BRAVE. Willing to confirm himself as a great Brazilian representative of MMA, Matheus assessed whether a return to the old organization was the main focus at that moment.

“I didn’t want to have that goal, really. Especially because I had just been sent away. I was coming off three big wins and had my contract cut. (The dismissal) came after a defeat against a ranked guy. I was ranked too. Whether I wanted to or not, I thought I couldn't just pursue this goal, but, deep down, I always had that dream: 'I want to be world champion'. I need to do my job, regardless of which company hires me. My dream was to be in the UFC, the biggest organization in the world. This is where the highest level of MMA is. Of course, there are great athletes in other places, all over the world, in places we can't even imagine. Deep down, my desire was the UFC, but my mind was open. My life was going on, but I had that feeling of coming back and being a champion”, he admitted.

Wish fulfilled and triumphant return

Wish fulfilled, it was time to return home. In March of this season, Nicolau put on UFC gloves again and, in the first challenge, he was chosen to face a bet from the company: the former RIZIN champion, Manel kape. Against his rival, the Brazilian was no pushover, but he had his arm raised and narrated the experience.

“It was a very special fight. It brought a lot together. I didn't fight for a while because of the pandemic. I was offered a fight for the UFC and I was very happy. I would fight against Tagir Ulanbekov and he got hurt. It was that first cold water shower. He added that I caught Covid in the meantime. The fight would be in January and they postponed it until March. Then, in March, two or three weeks, they changed the opponent for Manel (Kape), who had a completely different style. It was a challenge for me, not only because of the time I hadn't fought, the expectations. There were several factors. I had a good victory, against a tough guy. That day I proved myself a lot and improved a lot. I’m an even better fighter,” he said.

No hassle

After facing a former champion, this time the level will remain high. This weekend, Matheus will face a veteran who has a UFC title fight on his resume. The chosen rival was Tim Elliott and, to win, Nicolau needs to overcome his opponent's experience.

“Elliott doesn’t have an orthodox style. He has good movement, he's fast, he has good cardio. When he enjoys the fight, he sets a good rhythm and one of his strongest points is the transition he makes from striking to grappling. It's a fight in which he has to be prepared for anything. At a high level, he has nowhere to run. Tim is always prepared and looks for the fight. We’re definitely going to fight,” he narrated.

Optimal outcome

Even though he is confident that he will be able to achieve a good result over the weekend, Matheus avoids predicting how he should beat his rival. The athlete, however, has no doubts about what the decision will be.

“Without a doubt, I want to finish the fight before 15 minutes. I'm going to win. So, I will finish with my arm raised. How, we’ll find out there (laughs)”, he concluded.

Athletes' history

At 28, Matheus Nicolau is heading towards his 20th fight as a professional in MMA. Today, the flyweight has 16 wins, two losses and one draw.

UFC veteran, Tim Elliott, 34, will make his 30th appearance in the sport. The North American has 17 triumphs, 11 setbacks and one draw. The fighter competed for the group's belt in 2016, when he was defeated by Demetrious Johnson.