A slow burn has brought Matheus Nicolau to the brink of title contention in the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s flyweight division.

The 30-year-old Brazilian will carry a career-best six-fight winning streak into his showdown with former Legacy Fighting Alliance champion Brandon Royval as part of the UFC on ESPN 44 undercard on Saturday at the T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri. Currently in his second stint with the promotion, Nicolau recognizes the value in the momentum he has built.

“Without a doubt, I’m happy with my long winning streak,” he told Sherdog.com. “I made my way to the Top 5, and I’m closing in on the belt. What’s in the past is in the past. My total focus is what I have to do now. Everything that I’ve gone through helped me evolve into who I am today.”

It has been a somewhat deliberate climb for Nicolau. He competed only once in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018, and he has never fought more than twice in any calendar year since. Time between bouts has proved to be invaluable and allowed him to make strides in the gym, away from the glare of the spotlight.

“I’m happy with the work I’ve been doing,” Nicolau said. “I’m in a good rhythm. More isn’t always better. Everything happened in the best way possible. Everything is going well.”

Royval represents the next rung on the 125-pound ladder. The Factory X representative often invites chaos into his fights with a commitment to a frenetic pace and a taste for violence, as evidenced by the four sub-minute finishes on his resume. Royval owns a 4-2 record in the UFC, with his only losses having come to reigning flyweight champion Brandon Moreno and top contender Alexandre Pantoja.

“He’s tough and experienced,” Nicolau said. “He has faced the best fighters in our weight class. He’s complete. He’s dangerous on the feet and on the ground. He’s aggressive and likes to impose his rhythm. I’m ready to face him. I studied his game pretty well. I’m ready to win, and I expect to get a finish before the third round.”

Nicolau prepared for the match at Nova Uniao, where he trains under longtime mentor Andre Pederneiras. The all-terrain mixed martial artist also worked alongside kickboxing coach Matheus Nakashi to further sharpen his standup skills.

“I arrived at fight week feeling very ready for the challenge I have in front of me,” Nicolau said. “We’re ready to give our best and get another win.”

With the finish line in sight, Nicolau believes a decisive victory over Royval will put him in position to vie for the undisputed flyweight crown.

“My plan is to beat Brandon, preferably within the distance,” he said. “Then I’ll be ready for even bigger challenges.”