UFC on ESPN: Nicolau vs. Perez
| Company type | Mixed martial arts event |
|---|---|
| Industry | Sports entertainment |
| Founded | April 27, 2024 |
| Headquarters | Enterprise, Nevada , United States |
Area served | Global (via broadcast) |
| Parent | Ultimate Fighting Championship |
UFC on ESPN: Nicolau vs. Perez—also referred to as UFC on ESPN 55 and UFC Vegas 91'—was a mixed martial arts competition organized by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on April 27, 2024. The event took place at the UFC Apex facility located in Enterprise, Nevada, United States.
Background
Originally, the headlining bout was planned as a flyweight rematch featuring former Rizin Bantamweight Champion Manel Kape against Matheus Nicolau. Their initial encounter in March 2021 concluded with Nicolau securing a controversial split decision victory. The rematch, initially scheduled for January 2024, was postponed after Kape failed to make weight and subsequently withdrew due to a rib injury. He was replaced by former UFC Flyweight Championship contender Alex Perez.
A lightweight contest between Road to UFC Season 1 champion Anshul Jubli and Maheshate Hayisaer was arranged; however, Jubli withdrew for undisclosed reasons and was substituted by Gabriel Benítez.
James Llontop was set to make his promotional debut against Lando Vannata, who later pulled out and was replaced by Gabriel Green. Green also withdrew subsequently, prompting the addition of newcomer Chris Padilla on short notice.
A lightweight fight between Joel Álvarez and Mateusz Rębecki was scheduled but Álvarez withdrew for undisclosed reasons. Rębecki was later matched up with Carlos Diego Ferreira at a different UFC event.
During the official weigh-ins, James Llontop (156.5 pounds) and David Onama (148.5 pounds) exceeded their respective weight limits. Both bouts continued at catchweight conditions, with each overweight fighter forfeiting 20% of their fight purse to their opponents, Chris Padilla and Jonathan Pearce, respectively.
Bonus awards
A $50,000 bonus was granted to the following fighters:
- Fight of the Night: No bonus was given.
- Performance of the Night: Alex Perez, Bogdan Guskov, Jhonata Diniz, and Uroš Medić
Aftermath
During the course of the event, the primary ring announcer Joe A. Martinez became unwell, leading to UFC roving reporter Charly Arnolt stepping in temporarily. This marked her debut as the promotion's first female ring announcer.