Brandon Royval takes on Matheus Nicolau on April 15th

Brandon Royval takes on Matheus Nicolau on April 15th

Liam Lindsay|
February 09, 2023|
0

A massive top-5 matchup between Brandon Royval and Matheus Nicolau has just been announced for UFC Fight Night 222 in Kansas City, Missouri, per Marcel Dorff.

This fight takes place in the Flyweight (125 lbs) division.

Brandon Royval holds a professional record of 14-6 (4-2 UFC) and is currently ranked #4 at Flyweight. He holds credible wins over Kai Kara-France, Matt Schnell, and Tim Elliot.

Matheus Nicolau holds a professional record of 19-2 (7-1 UFC) and is ranked #5 at Flyweight holding notable wins over Manel Kape, Matt Schnell, and David Dvořák.

Offical odds have yet to be released.

Brandon Royval has been pure entertainment since joining the UFC in 2020, already holding three fight of the night awards. At the end of 2021, Royval would fall short against the #2 ranked Flyweight Alexandre Pantoja. But, in 2022, he rebounded with back-to-back wins, a split decision over Rogério Bontorin, and a first-round guillotine against Matt Schnell. Royval is an incredibly unorthodox striker with slick jiu-jitsu and will be looking to use all his weapons in this pivotal matchup.

Brandon Royval securing a guillotine choke against Matt Schnell at UFC 274. Credits to: Zuffa LLC.
Brandon Royval securing a guillotine choke against Matt Schnell at UFC 274. Credits to: Zuffa LLC.

Matheus Nicolau is coming off a huge knockout victory over Matt Schnell back in December and will be looking to increase his current win streak to seven. After losing Dustin Ortiz in 2019, Nicolau was removed from the UFC. Despite this, he kept fighting for regional promotions, earning him a second shot in 2021 allowing him to get back on track, returning against promotional newcomer Manel Kape, winning via split decision. Nicolau is a well-rounded mixed martial artist with impressive KO and submission ability, and all of his tools will be needed in this upcoming matchup.

Matheus Nicolau landing a heavy elbow against Matt Schnell at UFC Fight Night: Thompson vs Holland. Credits to: Nathan Ray Seebeck - USA TODAY Sports.
Matheus Nicolau landing a heavy elbow against Matt Schnell at UFC Fight Night: Thompson vs Holland. Credits to: Nathan Ray Seebeck - USA TODAY Sports.

This fight is crucial in the Flyweight division, with the winner having a considerable chance of challenging for the Flyweight title next. Who do you have winning this high-output matchup? Let us know your prediction for the fight in the comments below.

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