Nicolau vs Perez Prediction 28 April 2024

The UFC on ESPN 55 tournament closure was entrusted to the duo of Mateus Nicolau Pereira – Alex Perez, such a straightforward confrontation in the flyweight division will take place on April 28, which we simply cannot leave without our prediction. Both fighters are far from their optimal form. The American, however, was at least previously a title contender. But Mateus is hard to call a top fighter of the promotion, which did not prevent the league bosses from giving the Brazilian a chance in the main event of the evening.

Mateus Pereira is 31 years old, and as a pro, the Brazilian has been fighting since 2010, amassing a record of 19-3-1 to date. But let's be honest, most of his victories were collected in lesser-known organizations: Lions FC, Shooto Brazil, and Brasil Fight. However, participating in The Ultimate Fighter Brazil Season 4 in 2015 paved Pereira's way to the world's top league. And a UFC record of 7-2 speaks well of the Brazilian's abilities. Thanks to grappling and good speed, Mateus has established himself in the promotion, but he has not yet been led to a title fight.

Alex Perez, one year older than his upcoming opponent, is a former title contender who has been fighting professionally since 2011. The fighter, who lost his last 3 fights (the losing streak started in 2020 at UFC 255 precisely in a title fight against Deiveson Figueiredo), has a record of 24 wins and 8 losses. In the octagon, Alex is more focused on ground work, which, indeed, he has often lost by submissions. But Perez is also good at boxing, so skill-wise, he is not inferior to the Brazilian.