Matheus Nicolau focused on positives ahead of UFC 219 return, maintains innocence after suspension

Matheus Nicolau was 23, fresh off the biggest win of his career and on the final stages of preparation for a home-country UFC fight when an e-mail said “not so fast” to his plans.

Nicolau had tested positive for anastrozole and found out, along with the rest of the internet, that he had already been pulled from a UFC Fight Night 100 meeting with Ulka Sasaki.

From the start, the flyweight denied any wrongdoing. Speaking to MMAjunkie at the time, Nicolau said the trace amounts of the banned substance, paired with the specific timeline of the out-of-competition test, were indicative of supplement contamination. While he was prepared for the standard suspension, he hoped his case would be strong enough to shorten it.

It wasn’t. USADA ended up issuing a year-long hook, which Nicolau accepted. He still stands behind his innocence. But now, as he prepares for a return against Louis Smolka at UFC 219, the flyweight tries to focus on the positives of the time away.

First off, he got to rekindle an old passion.

“I focused on jiu-jitsu competition,” Nicolau told MMAjunkie. “I hadn’t competed regularly since I was a blue belt, at 17, which is when I had my professional MMA debut. And now I got to go back to competing at black belt, at the highest level. So that was cool.

“I had to set aside my ego and step out of my comfort zone. I had to start fresh. It was one of the things in which I focused my energy in order to keep the competitive flame alive. In order to keep focused. It really helped make that time away from MMA be useful to me.”

Financially, jiu-jitsu didn’t really help. In fact, it was the opposite – some tournaments involved Nicolau spending up to R$1,000 (approximately $300 USD) in a single weekend, including travel expenses and entrance fees. So, while Nicolau taught classes and seminars, keeping an active competition schedule actually involved getting himself into debt.

But he kept on, certain the investment would pay off when he made his return to MMA.

“It wasn’t time off – I kept working every day,” Nicolau said. “I woke up and went to bed thinking about it. Not a day went by that I didn’t think about my career. And I never stopped working toward my evolution as a mixed martial artist.”

Being away, especially given the circumstances, had its fair share of low moments. The lowest, Nicolau said, was watching, live in Sao Paulo, the UFC Fight Night 100 card in which he was set to fight Sasaki. As optimistic and driven as Nicolau tried to remain, keeping his head up involved constant, daily work.

But, then again, that’s when he got an unique chance to assess who was really there for him.

“I believe rough times make us tougher,” Nicolau said. “And I got to see that. I think I’m now not only a more mature martial artist, but I’m a more mature man and human being. And I also saw how blessed I am, because it happened, it was very tough, but I got to see that I have wonderful people around me.

“My family, my friends – I’m very blessed that they were by my side even when things got tough.”

Of course, as much as Nicolau maintains that he never took performance enhancing drugs, fact is that he was flagged and then suspended for a doping violation. Many people won’t believe his claims. And a mostly victorious record that only contains two official losses now has what is undeniably a career stain.

Nicolau knows that. But, at the same time, the flyweight says he’s got a clear conscience. He thinks those who know the particulars of his case have reason to believe him. And though this bit of his path was a particularly unfortunate one, he’d rather embrace it than bury it.

“Of course, there will always be people who’ll criticize you, who’ll try to put you down,” Nicolau said. “But this doesn’t matter to me. So It’s not something I’m too concerned about ‘burying,’ per se. My focus is on what comes next, on what I will do to make sure this never happens again. My future wins, my next steps – they will be enough to get positive attention.”

The most immediate step, of course, is Smolka (11-4 MMA, 5-4 UFC) – whom Nicolau(12-1-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) meets in an FS1-televised preliminary card bout at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas this Saturday.

Although for very different reasons, it is also a key fight for Smolka. Despite coming off an exciting “Fight of the Night” affair against ex-title-challenger Tim Elliott, what the flyweight’s official record shows is ultimately a dangerous three-fight losing skid.

Nicolau is aware of Smolka’s delicate position. Still, he’s not wasting too much time mulling over whether or not this will translate into a more aggressive or conservative display. Rather, Nicolau focuses on what he can bring into a fight that, judging by his opponent’s own open, dangerous style both on the ground and on the feet, he believes has the makings of a fan-pleaser.

“My main focus is how I’m going to be in this fight,” Nicolau said. “The weapons that I get to bring in there and that I believe will lead me to the win. That’s what I have focused on.

“Regardless of how he comes in to fight me, I’m certain that, if I’m able to stay calm and focused, I’ll be prepared to answer whatever danger he brings into the fight.”

If he does beat Smolka, the 24-year-old Brazilian will not only take an important step toward moving past a dark chapter of his career, but he will also have increased his UFC winning streak to three –including one over veteran John Moraga at last year’s TUF 23 Finale.

But, whatever that might mean for his future, Nicolau is still careful not to let his mind wander to far off his present.

“I’m climbing a mountain,” Nicolau said. “If I don’t focus on where I’m putting my hand next, I might tumble and fall and never get to climb it again. Thats what matters to me. I see Smolka as the most important fight of my life.

“I will beat him. I will do what needs to be done. Then things will happen naturally.”

For more on UFC 219, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.