“In the first part of camp, I try to focus more on myself. Improving my weapons, always looking for something to improve, and each fight is a little bit different. Of course, when you already have an opponent, you inevitably think about him a little and all that, but I was very focused on improving my weapons. Now, in this final part, in these past three weeks, we’re cleaning things up and looking at the possibilities and preparing a good game plan for him. We’re preparing good paths for striking and on the ground because I think it’s inevitably a fight which will have all of MMA. There will be striking, jiu-jitsu, and work on the fence.”
Nicolau is a part of the Nova União crew in Rio de Janeiro, where most of his camp took place. He fully immersed himself in this training camp to become a more well-rounded mixed martial artist. He also went to São Paulo to train boxing with Alex Cardoso, grappling with Demian Maia, and worked with his manager Eduardo Alonso, who is also his head coach.
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Having such a knowledgeable support system around him makes training a healthy, desirable environment. In the words of Nicolau, “there’s nothing like training to give you confidence.”
Taking the reps he received in every aspect of the game, in The Ultimate Fighter alum’s mind, there is no outcome where he ends up in the L column.
“I honestly see myself winning wherever he goes, whatever he gives me. Whether it’s in the striking or in jiu-jitsu, wherever he slips up, I’ll be ready to beat him. I can’t tell you how, but I believe this fight ends before the third round with my arm raised.”
