Rivalries: Niko Price

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Niko Price appears to only have one gear—a trait that has endeared him to Ultimate Fighting Championship matchmakers and made him one of the organization’s premium action heroes.

“The Hybrid” will enter the cage in search of his first win in nearly two years when he tackles Michel Pereira in a three-round welterweight prelim at UFC 264 this Saturday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Price owns a 6-4 record inside the Octagon, victories over James Vick, Randy Brown and Alan Jouban anchoring his resume. He fought to a majority draw with Donald Cerrone at UFC Fight Night 178 in September, though the result was later overturned to a no contest after the Floridian failed a drug test. Price was suspended by the Nevada Athletic Commission for six months and received an $8,500 fine for his indiscretions.

As Price makes final preparations for his showdown with Pereira, a look at a few of the rivalries that have helped shape his career:

Vicente Luque

Luque was first to solve the Price riddle. “The Ultimate Fighter 21” semifinalist submitted Price with a brabo choke in the second round of their featured UFC Fight Night 119 prelim on Oct. 28, 2017 at Geraldo Jose de Almeida Gymnasium in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Price bowed out 4:08 into Round 2. Luque compromised the American Top Team export’s base with hard kicks to the upper and lower leg. He turned up the heat in the second round, cut Price near the left eye and backed the Floridian to the fence. An overhand right buckled Price and left him vulnerable to a crippling body shot that came next. Luque locked up the brabo choke in the chaos that ensued, closed off avenues of escape and elicited the tapout. They met for a second time at UFC 249 two and a half years later, as Luque prompted a third-round doctor stoppage against Price and proved once more that he was indeed the better man.

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Tim Means

Price cut down the former King of the Cage champion with punches in the first round of their crackling UFC Fight Night 146 showstopper on March 9, 2019 at Intrust Bank Arena in Wichita, Kansas. Means succumbed to blows 4:50 into Round 1, as he suffered the first legitimate knockout loss of his career. Neither man paid much attention to defense, much to the action-starved crowd’s delight. Price had his counterpart ducking for cover early on but left himself open for a takedown in his haste to finish. Means battered him with ground-and-pound and continued to unload with accurate punches when they returned to their feet, snapping back the Futures MMA rep’s head with more than one multi-punch volley. Price retreated to the fence, caught “The Dirty Bird” moving in and detonated a devastating right hook on his jaw. Means hit the deck and was met by a diving right hand from the Floridian before losing consciousness after eating a series of hammerfists.

Geoff Neal

The Fortis MMA export was the last man standing in a memorable barnburner, as he put away Price with punches in the second round of their UFC 240 showcase on July 27, 2019 at Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta. Neal drew the curtain 2:39 into Round 2. A wild first round that included a double knockdown that resulted from dueling left hands and an accidental headbutt concluded with Neal in full mount, momentum in his corner. The two men exchanged punches at close range at the start of Round 2, showing no regard for their well-being. Price made a pass at an ill-advised guillotine choke and wound up in bottom position, pinned beneath an adrenaline-infused opponent. Neal started dropping punches of varying intensity from inside guard and appeared to be closing in on a clean knockout before referee Dan Miragliotta intervened.