Nicholas Meregali vs. Matheus Diniz booked for UFC FPI 6
Nicholas Meregali will clash with former ADCC champion Matheus Diniz at UFC FPI 6 on March 3 in Las Vegas.
An intriguing matchup between arguably the top active heavyweight grappler in the world and a former ADCC world champion is headed to the UFC Fight Pass Invitational (UFC FPI) 6 on March 3.
That night, multiple-time gi world champion Nicholas Meregali will square off with 2019 88kg ADCC champion Matheus Diniz.
The match joins a pair of previously announced contests for the show: Craig Jones vs. Rafael Lovato Jr. and Nick Rodriguez vs. Roberto Jimenez.
Nicholas Meregali vs. Matheus Diniz
Now training under the watchful eye of John Danaher at New Wave, Meregali has firmly established himself as one of the best pound-for-pound grapplers in the sport.
Since taking his first no-gi matches in 2022, the Brazilian has earned third in the 99kg division and second in the absolute division at the ADCC World Championships and holds notable victories over ADCC champions Kaynan Duarte, Roberto “Cyborg” Abreu, and (his New Wave teammate) Giancarlo Bodoni.
Diniz, meanwhile, has been significantly less active over the past couple of years, competing in just a handful of tournaments in both gi and no-gi. The Marcelo Garcia black belt suffered an early exit at the 2022 ADCC World Championships after losing via submission in the second round to eventual champion Bodoni.
Throughout his relatively short no-gi career, Meregali has proven to be dangerous from both top and bottom position, equally capable of sweeping from his back or scoring the takedown before passing the guard. That well-rounded skill set, coupled with his recent high-level experience, should make him the favorite on March 3.
Diniz, though, shouldn’t be counted out. He is an excellent takedown artist and an elite back-taker who rarely, if ever, makes strategic errors. Look for him to test Meregali on the feet and try to find the back in scrambles.
How to watch: UFC FPI 6: Nicholas Meregali vs. Matheus Diniz takes place on Sunday, March 3, and will air live on UFC Fight Pass (subscription required).
