(Exclusive) XFC 51 Showcases UFC Veterans, NIL, Young MMA Talent

MMA Knockout's Zain Bando previews XFC 51 with exclusive interviews from Zac Pauga, Alex Nicholson, Fox Sports' Jenny Taft, and more.

XFC 51 Zac Pauga vs. Alex Nicholson is the headliner. / XFC / Triller TV

For the third time this year, XFC continues its new era with a stop in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Friday night at Baird Center.

The main event pits two former UFC fighters against each other, with Zac Pauga (7-3 MMA) taking on Alex Nicholson (19-11 MMA) at heavyweight.

Both men bring different backgrounds, but have one thing in common: an XFC win.

May 28, 2017; Stockholm, Stockholms Lan, Sweden; Alex Nicholson (blue gloves) enters the arena before his bout with Jack Hermansson (not pictured) during UFC Fight Night at Ericsson Globe. / Per Haljestam-Imagn Images

Pauga made short work of Jamahl Tatum in May with a first-round arm triangle, which snapped a three-fight losing skid.

Meanwhile, on the same event, Nicholson headlined against Carl Seumanutafa and earned a first-round TKO after stints in bare-knuckle fighting and boxing before continuing his MMA journey.

Former UFC Veteran Alex Nicholson Is On A Mission For Quick Finish

Nicholson, a Florida-native, spoke to MMA Knockout ahead of the fight with Pauga about how it came together. He said Pauga is a tough opponent with a background in rugby and football. For Nicholson, the fight is personal.

“This is just another challenge along the road,” Nicholson said. “[The] XFC is putting on a good platform for fighters to showcase their abilities. And Zac is, you know, he’s a little inexperienced in fighting. He played pro rugby. He played pro football. We don’t play fighting, man. I wish him the best. God Bless him, but I got bills to pay and a young man to feed. And I know he’s got a family, too. So, it’s two grown, dangerous, strong men going at it to feed their families. And what’s more exciting than that?”

Pauga also spoke to MMA Knockout and, like Nicholson, said the fight came together based on the notion of the XFC’s newer roster and an attempt to boost the heavyweight division.

“Me and Alex both fought on the last XFC card,” Pauga said. “We both had first-round finishes at heavyweight. And they [the XFC] didn’t talk to me that night, but it seemed like a no-brainer. It was like, ‘Oh, oh, okay. Me and this guy are gonna fight next.’ And they came and asked us a few weeks later, and we were both good to go.”

Pauga gave Nicholson credit for his career longevity and wants to put on a competitive showing.

“I’m super excited,” Pauga said. “He’s a guy that’s been in big organizations. He’s got a name. He’s got a big record. But, like I said before, he always brings an exciting fight. And, right now, that’s the best currency for me is just eyes, right? Eyes on, you know, big moments, big, exciting fights. That’s what I’m looking for.”

Nicholson has a quick turnaround after fighting Pauga. He fights Frank Tate in bare-knuckle MMA in November, which Pauga said he wants to consider as a potential next step in his combat sports journey. For Nicholson, it’s about winning quickly and in impressive fashion.

Jul 13, 2016; Sioux Falls, SD, USA; Alex Nicholson (blue gloves) fights against Devin Clark (red gloves) during UFC Fight Night at Denny Sanford Premier Center. / Brad Rempel-Imagn Images

Pauga did not rule out a UFC return either. He went 1-3 in the promotion, with his lone win against Jordan Wright last February. He also competed on TUF 30, losing in the season finale to Mohammed Usman in 2022.

“I’m gonna keep fighting,” Pauga said. “I have a lot of fights left in me, and I just want to do interesting things. There are so many cool organizations out there right now. I love what the XFC is doing. They’re putting on big, exciting shows and paying fighters well. But I also like some of these niche, unique organizations. The Gamebred FC’s, right? Bare-knuckle, that’s kind of neat. Karate Combat is a totally different sport almost. I would love to go over to Europe and fight in OKTAGON [MMA]. You know, there’s so many options available now for fighters in my position, and I’m excited to explore whoever comes up with the best opportunity for me.”

XFC Investing In Young Talent

Although Nicholson and Pauga are the main attractions, the XFC is thinking long-term thanks to NIL ambassadorship, investors, and stakeholders and the re-introduction of its “Young Guns” series.

Enter Chris Defendis, the Xtreme One Entertainment president who succeeded Doug Kuiper and brings a fresh perspective to the promotion’s rebuild.

In doing so, it was announced last Thursday the promotion would be entering the NIL space and secured representation from former UFC star Jeremy Stephens and current bantamweight contender and former UFC double-champion, Henry Cejudo.

May 9, 2020; Jacksonville, Florida, USA; Jeremy Stephens (red gloves) fights Calvin Kattar (blue gloves) during UFC 249 at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena. / Jasen Vinlove-Imagn Images

Both men will be on-site for a meet-and-greet ahead of the event Friday night, beginning at 6:30 p.m. They will also be joined alongside University of Wisconsin-Parkside wrestler Cayden Hensche.

“XFC has devised an NIL division to engage a masterclass of mixed martial artists with an emerging league of apprentices that are currently honing their professional MMA skill sets within collegiate wrestling programs across the country,” Defendis said. “We look forward to hosting some of our newly-signed NIL athletes at XFC 51 in Milwaukee as we start this first phase of prospect development.”

Cejudo said he looks forward to the opportunity to help newfound promotions and fighters build credibility.

“I’m pleased to align the integrity of my NIL with the XFC to champion the success of athletes in collegiate wrestling, whether as Olympic hopefuls or as the future contenders in professional MMA,” Cejudo said in a statement.

May 6, 2023; Newark, New Jersey, USA; Aljamain Sterling (red gloves) fights Henry Cejudo (blue gloves) during UFC 288 at Prudential Center. / Ed Mulholland-Imagn Images

It’s not just fighters and MMA-related people who believe in the XFC’s mission and vision for future success.

Fox Sports sideline reporter Jenny Taft was in Michigan for XFC Grand Prix II in May and said she liked what she saw. She is a staple of Fox College Football’s “Big Noon Kickoff” coverage every Saturday during the regular season.

“We are all on the same team,” Taft told MMA Knockout in August when discussing XFC’s community outreach. “We can all grow this together, and I think that’s what’s so fun about [XFC]. It’s not a startup mentality because it’s been done before, but it maybe wasn’t done in the right way. And, under new leadership, that’s really the goal.”

XFC 51: Evolution gets underway at 8 p.m. ET/7 p.m. CT and airs live on Triller pay-per-view for $24.99. It is also available internationally in select markets and on the Armed Forces Network (AFN). The preliminary portion will be a separate stream that is free to all Triller users.

The bout order can be seen below, per the promotion. It is subject to change but has eight confirmed fights. All fights are three, five-minute rounds.

• Main Event: Alex Nicholson vs. Zac Pauga – heavyweight
• Co-Main Event No. 2: Handesson Ferreira vs. Dilano Taylor – welterweight
• Featured Fight: Emmanuel Sanchez vs. Kenneth Cross – lightweight
• Co-Main Event No. 1: Dan Moret vs. Sidney Outlaw – lightweight
• Main card: Viviane Pereira vs. Rayla Nascimento – strawweight
• Prelim: Ronny Marks vs. Lawrence Phillips – heavyweight
• Prelim: Jose Vasquez vs. Markevian Williams – flyweight
• Prelim: Brandon Evans vs. Artur Minev – lightweight

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