Alex Perez Steps in for Manel Kape, Meets Matheus Nicolau at UFC on ESPN 55

Manuel Kape - OUT
Alex Perez - IN@NicolauMatheus vs @AlexPerezMMA is your NEW #UFCVegas91 Main Event 🔥 pic.twitter.com/d8Umh7yiNM

— UFC (@ufc) April 2, 2024

UFC on ESPN 55 has a new flyweight main event.

The promotion announced on Tuesday that Alex Perez will replace Manel Kape and lock horns with Matheus Nicolau at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas on April 27. A reason for Kape’s exit from the card was not given. Perez had been slated to face Tagir Ulanbekov on June 15 before the new pairing was announced.

A former title challenger at 125 pounds, Perez has lost his last three Octagon appearances. Most recently, the Team Oyama product dropped a unanimous verdict to Muhammad Mokaev at UFC Fight Night 238 on March 2. The Dana White’s Contender Series alum is 6-4 during his promotional tenure.

Nicolau, meanwhile, had a six-bout winning streak snapped in his last outing, when he suffered a first-round KO defeat to Brandon Royval at UFC on ESPN 44 in April 2023. Nicolau’s ledger includes a split-decision triumph over Kape at UFC Fight Night 187 in March 2021.

Kape was initially scheduled to rematch Nicolau on Jan. 13, but the bout was canceled on account of the Rizin veteran missing weight. “Starboy” has dealt with multiple cancellations during his UFC tenure, though some of those were not related to him.