# Niko Price

Nicholas Gordon “Niko” Price (born September 29, 1989) is an American mixed martial artist currently fighting in the Welterweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

## Background

Born and raised in Cape Coral, Florida, Price attended Mariner High School where he played linebacker for the school's football team. Upon graduating, Price began training in kickboxing, winning two bouts both via knockout. Price briefly went to college, studying criminal justice. He started training mixed martial arts in 2008.

## Mixed martial arts career
### Early career

After going undefeated (9–0) as an amateur, Price made his professional MMA debut in February 2012. Before joining the UFC Price amassed a record of 8–0 with 7 of his 8 wins coming by stoppages.

### Ultimate Fighting Championship

Price made his promotional debut for the UFC at UFC 207 against Brandon Thatch. He won the fight via submission in the first round.
Price next fight came at UFC Fight Night: Bermudez vs. The Korean Zombie against Alex Morono. He won the fight via knockout in the second round; however, this was later overturned to a no contest after he tested positive for marijuana.
Price next faced Alan Jouban at UFC Fight Night: Pettis vs. Moreno on August 5, 2017. He won the fight via TKO in round one. The win also earned Price his first Performance of the Night bonus award.
Price was to face Luan Chagas on October 28, 2017, at UFC Fight Night: Brunson vs. Machida. On October 6, it was announced that Chagas had pulled out of the bout due to a fractured foot and was replaced by Vicente Luque. Price lost the fight via D'Arce variation of the brabo in Brazil or D’Arce choke submission after a combination of strikes had him appearing out on his feet in round two.
Price faced George Sullivan January 27, 2018, at UFC on Fox: Jacaré vs. Brunson 2. He won the fight by rear-naked choke submission in the second round.
Price was expected to face Belal Muhammad on June 1, 2018, at UFC Fight Night 131. However, Price was removed from the bout on May 22 for undisclosed reasons and replaced by promotional newcomer Chance Rencountre.
Price faced Randy Brown on July 14, 2018, at UFC Fight Night 133. He won the fight via knockout in the second round after landing several hammerfists from the bottom to knock Brown out. This win earned him the Performance of the Night award.
Price faced Abdul Razak Alhassan on September 8, 2018, at UFC 228. He lost the fight via knockout in the first round.
Price faced Tim Means on March 9, 2019, at UFC on ESPN+ 4. He won via knockout in the first round, becoming the first man to finish Means by knockout in MMA competition. This win earned him the Performance of the Night award.
Price faced Geoff Neal on July 27, 2019, at UFC 240. He lost the fight via technical knockout in round two.
Price faced James Vick on October 12, 2019, at UFC on ESPN+ 19. He won the fight via knockout in round one after landing an upkick from the bottom to knock Vick out. This win earned him the Performance of the Night bonus award.
Price was expected to face Muslim Salikhov on April 11, 2020, at UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs. Harris. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event was eventually postponed.
On March 21, 2020, Price announced that he had signed a new, four-fight contract with the UFC.
Price was scheduled to face Vicente Luque in a rematch on April 18, 2020, at UFC 249. However, on April 9, Dana White, the president of UFC announced that this event was postponed and the bout eventually took place on May 9, 2020. He lost the fight via technical knockout due to doctor stoppage in round three.
Price faced Donald Cerrone on September 19, 2020, at UFC Fight Night 178. The fight was declared a majority draw. On November 4, it was announced that the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) issued a temporary suspension for Price, after he tested positive for carboxy THC in a drug test related to his fight. On December 2, 2020, it was announced that the bout was overturned to no contest and Price was suspended for six months and fined $8,500.
Price faced Michel Pereira on July 10, 2021, at UFC 264. He lost the fight via unanimous decision.
As the first bout of his new four-fight contract, Price faced Alex Oliveira on October 2, 2021, at UFC Fight Night 192. He won the fight via unanimous decision.
Price faced Philip Rowe on December 3, 2022, at UFC on ESPN 42. After knocking Rowe down in the earlier rounds, Price lost the bout via TKO stoppage in the third.
Price faced former UFC Welterweight champion Robbie Lawler on July 8, 2023, at UFC 290. He was knocked out 38 seconds into the bout.
Price was scheduled to face Jeremiah Wells on June 1, 2024 at UFC 302. However, Wells was pulled from the bout and was replaced with Alex Morono in a rematch. Price won the fight by unanimous decision.
Price faced Themba Gorimbo on October 12, 2024 at UFC Fight Night 244. He lost the fight by unanimous decision.

## Professional grappling career

Price competed against Pat Sabatini at Fury Pro Grappling 8 on December 30, 2023. He lost the match by submission.

## Personal life

Niko and his wife Erica have six children. On June 1, 2024 at the UFC 302 press conference, Price confirmed that he and his wife are expecting their seventh child.

## Championships and accomplishments

* Ultimate Fighting Championship
** Performance of the Night (Four times) vs. Alan Jouban, Randy Brown, Tim Means and James Vick
** UFC Honors Awards
*** 2019: Fan's Choice Knockout of the Year Nominee vs. James Vick
** UFC.com Awards
*** 2018: Ranked #9 Knockout of the Year vs. Randy Brown
*** 2019: Ranked #4 Knockout of the Year vs. James Vick
*** 2020: Ranked #10 Fight of the Year vs. Vicente Luque 2
* MMAJunkie.com
** 2019 October Knockout of the Month vs. James Vick
** 2020 May Fight of the Month vs. Vicente Luque

## Mixed martial arts record

Professional record breakdown :
| 26 matches | 16 wins | 8 losses |
| By knockout | 10 | 5 |
| By submission | 3 | 1 |
| By decision | 3 | 2 |
| No contests | 2 | 2 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
| Loss | 16–8 (2) | Themba Gorimbo | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Royval vs. Taira | October 12, 2024 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 16–7 (2) | Alex Morono | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 302 | June 1, 2024 | 3 | 5:00 | Newark, New Jersey, United States | |
| Loss | 15–7 (2) | Robbie Lawler | KO (punches) | UFC 290 | July 8, 2023 | 1 | 0:38 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Loss | 15–6 (2) | Philip Rowe | TKO (punches) | UFC on ESPN: Thompson vs. Holland | December 3, 2022 | 3 | 3:26 | Orlando, Florida, United States | Catchweight (173.5 lb) bout; Rowe missed weight. |
| Win | 15–5 (2) | Alex Oliveira | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Santos vs. Walker | October 2, 2021 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Loss | 14–5 (2) | Michel Pereira | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 264 | July 10, 2021 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| NC | 14–4 (2) | Donald Cerrone | NC (overturned) | UFC Fight Night: Covington vs. Woodley | September 19, 2020 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Price was deducted one point in round 1 for repeated eye pokes. Originally a majority draw; overturned after Price tested positive for carboxy THC. |
| Loss | 14–4 (1) | Vicente Luque | TKO (doctor stoppage) | UFC 249 | May 9, 2020 | 3 | 3:37 | Jacksonville, Florida, United States | |
| Win | 14–3 (1) | James Vick | KO (upkick) | UFC Fight Night: Joanna vs. Waterson | October 12, 2019 | 1 | 1:44 | Tampa, Florida, United States | Performance of the Night. |
| Loss | 13–3 (1) | Geoff Neal | TKO (punches) | UFC 240 | July 27, 2019 | 2 | 2:39 | Edmonton, Alberta, Canada | |
| Win | 13–2 (1) | Tim Means | KO (punches) | UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. dos Santos | March 9, 2019 | 1 | 4:50 | Wichita, Kansas, United States | Performance of the Night. |
| Loss | 12–2 (1) | Abdul Razak Alhassan | KO (punch) | UFC 228 | September 8, 2018 | 1 | 0:43 | Dallas, Texas, United States | |
| Win | 12–1 (1) | Randy Brown | KO (punches) | UFC Fight Night: dos Santos vs. Ivanov | July 14, 2018 | 2 | 1:09 | Boise, Idaho, United States | Performance of the Night. |
| Win | 11–1 (1) | George Sullivan | Submission (rear-naked choke) | UFC on Fox: Jacaré vs. Brunson 2 | January 27, 2018 | 2 | 4:21 | Charlotte, North Carolina, United States | |
| Loss | 10–1 (1) | Vicente Luque | Submission (D’Arce choke) | UFC Fight Night: Brunson vs. Machida | October 28, 2017 | 2 | 4:08 | São Paulo, Brazil | |
| Win | 10–0 (1) | Alan Jouban | TKO (punches) | UFC Fight Night: Pettis vs. Moreno | August 5, 2017 | 1 | 1:44 | Mexico City, Mexico | Performance of the Night. |
| NC | 9–0 (1) | Alex Morono | NC (overturned) | UFC Fight Night: Bermudez vs. The Korean Zombie | February 4, 2017 | 2 | 5:00 | Houston, Texas, United States | Originally a KO (punch) win for Price; overturned after he tested positive for marijuana. |
| Win | 9–0 | Brandon Thatch | Submission (arm-triangle choke) | UFC 207 | December 30, 2016 | 1 | 4:30 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 8–0 | Willie Hosch | Decision (unanimous) | Fight Time 32 | August 12, 2016 | 3 | 5:00 | Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States | |
| Win | 7–0 | Jose Caceres | TKO (punches) | Fight Time 30 | April 22, 2016 | 1 | 1:31 | Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States | Defended the Fight Time Welterweight Championship. |
| Win | 6–0 | Maurice Salmon | TKO (punches) | Fight Time 26 | July 17, 2015 | 1 | 2:38 | Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States | Won the Fight Time Welterweight Championship. |
| Win | 5–0 | Michael Lilly | TKO (punches) | Fight Time 23 | February 6, 2015 | 2 | 1:05 | Miami, Florida, United States | |
| Win | 4–0 | Danilo Padilha Da Silva | TKO (punches) | Fight Time 21 | November 7, 2014 | 1 | 0:22 | Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States | |
| Win | 3–0 | David Hayes | TKO (punches) | Fight Time 20 | August 29, 2014 | 1 | 3:07 | Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States | |
| Win | 2–0 | Mikerson Lindor | TKO (punches) | Fight Time 19 | May 30, 2014 | 1 | 4:59 | Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States | |
| Win | 1–0 | Alejandro Gomez | Submission (armbar) | Fight Time 8 | February 17, 2012 | 1 | 2:49 | Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States | |