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UFC on ESPN 55: How to watch Matheus Nicolau vs. Alex Perez, start time, Las Vegas fight card, odds, more

matt erickson
·4-min read

After a week off, the UFC is back on its home turf with a pair of flyweights at the top of the bill.

Here’s how to watch UFC on ESPN 55 with 125-pounders in the headlining spot, plus light heavyweights in the co-feature.

Broadcast and streaming info

Brendan Fitzgerald, Laura Sanko, Michael Bisping
Brendan Fitzgerald, Laura Sanko, Michael Bisping

UFC on ESPN 55 has a main card that starts at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN. The preliminary card streams on ESPN+ at 4 p.m. ET.

Stay tuned to MMA Junkie for further broadcast details this week.

Main event: Matheus Nicolau

Dec 3, 2022; Orlando, Florida, USA; Matheus Nicolau (red gloves) reacts after fighting Matt Schnell (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 3, 2022; Orlando, Florida, USA; Matheus Nicolau (red gloves) reacts after fighting Matt Schnell (blue gloves) during UFC Fight Night at Amway Center. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-USA TODAY Sports

Matheus Nicolau (19-4-1 MMA, 7-2 UFC) was supposed to fight Manel Kape, but Kape pulled out of of a fight with him for the second straight time (the first time was a cancellation when he missed weight). Instead, Nicolau will try to get back in the win column against Alex Perez. It’s been a year since Nicolau was knocked out by Brandon Royval, which snapped a six-fight winning streak.

Main event: Alex Perez

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 02: (L-R) Alex Perez punches Muhammad Mokaev of Russia in a flyweight bout during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on March 02, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – MARCH 02: (L-R) Alex Perez punches Muhammad Mokaev of Russia in a flyweight bout during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on March 02, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

Alex Perez (24-8 MMA, 6-4 UFC) had been booked for a fight with Tagir Ulanbekov in June, but was rebooked for this one instead. Perez has lost three straight fights starting with a submission loss in a flyweight title fight to then-champ Deiveson Figueiredo in November 2020.

Co-main event: Bogdan Guskov vs. Ryan Spann

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – FEBRUARY 10: (L-R) Bogdan Guskov of Uzbekistan punches Zac Pauga in a light heavyweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on February 10, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – FEBRUARY 10: (L-R) Bogdan Guskov of Uzbekistan punches Zac Pauga in a light heavyweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on February 10, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

Bogdan Guskov (15-3 MMA, 1-1 UFC) has won five of his past six, including a bonus-winning first-round knockout of Zac Pauga in February that got him back on track after a loss to former light heavyweight title challenger Volkan Oezdemir.

Nov 12, 2022; New York, NY, USA; Dominick Reyes (red gloves) and Ryan Spann (blue gloves) during UFC 281 at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Jessica Alcheh-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 12, 2022; New York, NY, USA; Dominick Reyes (red gloves) and Ryan Spann (blue gloves) during UFC 281 at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Jessica Alcheh-USA TODAY Sports

Ryan Spann (21-9 MMA, 7-4 UFC) needs to reverse a two-fight skid of a submission loss to Nikita Krylov 13 months ago and a split decision setback against Anthony Smith in a rematch this past August.

UFC debut: Jhonata Diniz

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – SEPTEMBER 12: (L-R) Jhonata Diniz of Brazil knees Eduardo Neves of Brazil in a heavyweight fight during Dana White’s Contender Series season seven, week six at UFC APEX on September 12, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – SEPTEMBER 12: (L-R) Jhonata Diniz of Brazil knees Eduardo Neves of Brazil in a heavyweight fight during Dana White’s Contender Series season seven, week six at UFC APEX on September 12, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)

Record: 6-0
Opponent: Austen Lane (12-4 MMA, 0-1 UFC)
Division: Heavyweight
Misc.: 6-foot-4 Brazilian knocked out Eduardo Neves in the first round on DWCS to win his way into the UFC. Has a reach of nearly 80 inches. All six of his wins are by first-round knockout – and all four of Lane’s losses have been by first-round KO.

UFC on ESPN 55 main card betting odds

Dec 16, 2023; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Ariane Lipski (blue gloves) during UFC 296 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
Dec 16, 2023; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Ariane Lipski (blue gloves) during UFC 296 at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

MAIN CARD (ESPN, 7 p.m. ET)

  • Matheus Nicolau (-185) vs. Alex Perez (+155)

  • Bogdan Guskov (+165) vs. Ryan Spann (-195)

  • Ariane Lipski (+125) vs. Karine Silva (-150)

  • Jhonata Diniz (-245) vs. Austen Lane (+200)

  • Tim Means (+245) vs. Uros Medic (-310)

  • David Onama (+135) vs. Jonathan Pearce (-160)

UFC on ESPN 55 prelim betting odds

Sep 16, 2023; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Marnic Mann (blue gloves) prepares to fight Josefine Knutsson (not pictured) during UFC Fight Night at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 16, 2023; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Marnic Mann (blue gloves) prepares to fight Josefine Knutsson (not pictured) during UFC Fight Night at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 4 p.m. ET)

  • Victor Henry (-575) vs. Rani Yahya (+385)

  • Michal Figlak (-155) vs. Austin Hubbard (+130)

  • Caio Machado (-120) vs. Don’Tale Mayes (+100)

  • Marnic Mann (+255) vs. Ketlen Souza (-330)

  • Liang Na (+360) vs. Ivana Petrovic (-525)

  • Gabriel Benitez (+175) vs. Hayisaer Maheshate (-210)

Story originally appeared on MMA Junkie