UFC on ESPN: dos Anjos vs. Fiziev · Jul 09, 2022 · Light Heavyweight · Completed
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Age 34
Height 6' 5"
Reach 83.0"
Weight 236 lbs.
Stance Southpaw
Age 35
Height 6' 1"
Reach 74.0"
Weight 205 lbs.
Stance Southpaw
Career Averages - Kennedy Nzechukwu
4.96 SLpM
46.0% Str. Acc.
4.58 SApM
51.0% Str. Def.
0.5 TD Avg
45.0% TD Acc.
80.0% TD Def.
0.2 Sub. Avg
Career Averages - Karl Roberson
2.57 SLpM
51.0% Str. Acc.
2.42 SApM
57.0% Str. Def.
0.72 TD Avg
40.0% TD Acc.
40.0% TD Def.
0.5 Sub. Avg
Kennedy Nzechukwu
Moneyline
BetRivers -155
KO/TKO
FanDuel +260
Submission
BetRivers +1600
Decision
BetMGM +225
Karl Roberson
Moneyline
FanDuel +146
KO/TKO
FanDuel +460
Submission
FanDuel +550
Decision
BetMGM +550
Kennedy Nzechukwu - Fight History
Draw vs Marcus Buchecha
Draw R3 5:00 · UFC on ESPN: Royval vs. Kape · Dec 13, 2025
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Kennedy Nzechukwu 0 24 of 48 50% 58 of 87 0 of 0 --- 0 0 3:37
Marcus Buchecha 0 27 of 44 61% 47 of 66 3 of 13 23% 0 0 6:20
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Kennedy Nzechukwu 0 9 of 18 50% 23 of 32 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:38
Marcus Buchecha 0 2 of 9 22% 3 of 10 2 of 9 22% 0 0 2:22
2 Kennedy Nzechukwu 0 7 of 18 38% 7 of 18 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:10
Marcus Buchecha 0 25 of 35 71% 40 of 52 1 of 2 50% 0 0 3:39
3 Kennedy Nzechukwu 0 8 of 12 66% 28 of 37 0 of 0 --- 0 0 2:49
Marcus Buchecha 0 0 of 0 --- 4 of 4 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:19
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Kennedy Nzechukwu 24 of 48 50% 21 of 43 3 of 5 0 of 0 13 of 32 2 of 2 9 of 14
Marcus Buchecha 27 of 44 61% 23 of 38 4 of 6 0 of 0 2 of 12 2 of 4 23 of 28
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Kennedy Nzechukwu 9 of 18 50% 7 of 16 2 of 2 0 of 0 8 of 16 1 of 1 0 of 1
Marcus Buchecha 2 of 9 22% 0 of 5 2 of 4 0 of 0 1 of 8 1 of 1 0 of 0
2 Kennedy Nzechukwu 7 of 18 38% 6 of 15 1 of 3 0 of 0 5 of 15 1 of 1 1 of 2
Marcus Buchecha 25 of 35 71% 23 of 33 2 of 2 0 of 0 1 of 4 1 of 3 23 of 28
3 Kennedy Nzechukwu 8 of 12 66% 8 of 12 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 1 0 of 0 8 of 11
Marcus Buchecha 0 of 0 --- 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Marcus Almeida vs. Kennedy Nzechukwu
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Nzechukwu (-130); Almeida (+110)

Round 1
There is only one more heavyweight fight tonight, and it is as quintessential “striker vs. grappler” as it gets. Former light heavyweight power puncher Nzechukwu (14-6, 8-6 UFC) would like nothing more than to shut the lights out of ex-One Championship fighter Almeida (5-2, 0-0 UFC). Submission specialist “Buchecha” has recorded all of his wins in Round 1 while his two losses came on the scorecards, and he will hope he does not earn a third defeat tonight. The third man in the cage for this clash that could go anywhere will be referee Herb Dean. The big men bump fists.
Almeida strikes first with a body kick, and he uses it to close in on the Fortis MMA fighter to pursue a single. Nzechukwu sees it coming from a mile away and hops to the side to stop it. They feint and fake at one another, with Nzechukwu staying extremely low expecting another shot. It comes, and “Buchecha” wrangles Nzechukwu to his knees and slips around to briefly take his back standing. Nzechukwu rolls over the moment that Almeida drops down to pursue a leglock, and he gets his leg far enough out so that he is not in danger. While waiting for Almeida to knock it off, Nzechukwu hammers the back of his thigh with powerful elbows. Nzechukwu bursts back to his feet by rushing towards the wall and walking up it, and Almeida clings to him from behind for a possible mat return. Almeida transitions from a double to a single and gets it, stepping right into half guard. Nzechukwu scoots back upright again, only for Almeida to chuck him back to the mat like a side of beef.
This time, Almeida takes his back, and he hooks up a partial body triangle but lets it go to maintain control when Nzechukwu starts to scramble. Nzechukwu crawls to the fencing and back upright, and he keeps himself afloat while Almeida wrestles him from behind. With Nzechukwu’s back to the wall, Almeida leans on him until Nzechukwu turns him around. Nzechukwu plants a knee square on the groin, clacking off the cup with an audible popping sound as Dean instantly calls time. Almeida wanders to a neutral corner and drops to a crouch, grimacing as he massages his sore groin. He stands back up and drapes his arms over the cage to try to get his wind back. Jostling his cup around, he is good to go after about a minute. Dean tells Nzechukwu to keep it clean, and they get back to business. Nzechukwu drives home a right hand around the guard, backing Almeida up but getting his lead leg grabbed in the single attempt from “Buchecha.” Nzechukwu hops around and manages to get out of it, and Almeida sells out for a sacrifice throw and falls to his back. Nzechukwu drops down on top of his foe to land hammerfists until Almeida is about to scramble, so Nzechukwu abandons ship and stands back up. Nzechukwu times a crisp knee on the jaw, and he starts laying into Almeida with power punches. The Fortis MMA-trained athlete drops Almeida with his punch combination and opens a cut on the cheek, and as he is battering the former One athlete, the round ends.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Nzechukwu
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Nzechukwu
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Nzechukwu

Round 2
The fighters clap hands, but as soon as they do, Nzechukwu grabs his opponent’s hand and jacks him in the jaw with his other. Almeida backs off, and he suddenly shoots in for a takedown. As he ducks in to change levels, Nzechukwu inadvertently pokes him in one if not both eyes. “Buchecha” falls over to his back, and the commentary booth quizzically wonders whether he injured himself during the shot. The replay shows Nzechukwu’s fingers jamming into both of his opponent’s eyes, and he needs the doctor to come in so he can wipe his eye out with a cloth. Almeida is clearly compromised from it and none too thrilled by the foul, and he blows his nose in frustration. While Almeida recovers, Dean sighs heavily and brings Nzechukwu to the center of the cage to deduct a point. After three minutes pass, the round resumes with less than 30 seconds gone on the timer. Nzechukwu reintroduces himself with a clubbing left hand on the temple, and he goes for another but misses the mark. When he tries a third, Almeida changes levels to shoot in on his hips. Nzechukwu backs off to lean on the fence to keep his balance, and Almeida circles around from behind to hold on and possibly wrest him to the mat. Almeida breaks off, gets off a right hand and then falls over lobbing a kick. Nzechukwu races after him and starts bombarding him when Almeida stands, and Almeida topples over to his back. Nzechukwu signals for him to get back up, so Almeida answers him and sprints forward to tackle Nzechukwu to the floor. During the ensuing scramble, “Buchecha” secures back control, and this time he hooks up a low body triangle.
Rather than attack from the back, Almeida attempts to slither over to get mount, all while searching for an arm-triangle setup. He manages to get into full mount and starts hammering his opponent with elbows and powerful punches. Nzechukwu shells up to defend his face, but “Buchecha” is slowly pummeling him. Almeida chooses his strikes carefully rather than blowing out his gas tank going for broke, but this means that Dean just watches on as Nzechukwu blocks the worst of the strikes. The impact is still noteworthy, and Almeida picks up on volume and intensity as he tries to drum Nzechukwu out of there. Before gassing himself, he transitions to an armbar with seconds left in the round. He falls to his back to lock the limb lock down, but time expires before he can land it completely.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-8 Almeida
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-8 Almeida
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-8 Almeida

Round 3
To pick up where he left off, Almeida sells out almost immediately out of the gate for a takedown. He manages to get the fight down, but Nzechukwu is on top of him sitting on his chest. Almeida tries to get hold of Nzechukwu’s ankle for a possible sub, but there is nothing there while a 250-pound man sits on him uncomfortably. Nzechukwu threatens with his own unusual foot lock, but he realizes that he has limbs and can hit the grappler with his elbows. He lands a few, and then tries for his toe hold again before stepping into full mount. Nzechukwu puts his fingers in the fence but pulls them out and apologizes to Dean, who signals that Nzechukwu did not actually grab on it and just pushed off.
Nzechukwu is seated while Almeida has him from behind, and he gets away with a cheeky fence grab while Almeida is looking to get top control. Both men stand, and Almeida pulls guard and gets elbowed square in the face for his effort. Nzechukwu starts pummeling Almeida with strikes until Almeida grabs hold of Nzechukwu’s leg for a leglock of some kind. Nzechukwu pulls his leg out of danger and the two result in an uncomfortable, strange position where Almeida cannot swirl around to get on top because Nzechukwu has his arm hooked around Almeida’s elbow. Almeida rolls over, and Nzechukwu takes his back. Nzechukwu beats down on Almeida until the final horn sounds, and a draw is very much in play because of the point deduction in Round 2.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Nzechukwu (28-28)
Dayne Fox scores the round: 10-9 Nzechukwu (28-28)
Scottie Smith scores the round: 10-9 Almeida (29-27 Almeida)

The Official Result
Kennedy Nzechukwu vs. Marcus Almeida is Scored a Unanimous Draw (28-28, 28-28, 28-28)
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Dec 10, 2025 (3 days before fight)
Marcus Buchecha

Cody picks Buchecha, believing his BJJ will be decisive. He notes Nzechukwu's poor grappling and Buchecha's improved conditioning. He expects Buchecha to get a takedown and submit Nzechukwu, liking the submission prop.

Buchecha by sub +240
"The play for me is Marcus Buchecha."
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident picked Dec 11, 2025 (2 days before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

Connor also picks Nzechukwu, agreeing that Buchecha's jiu-jitsu doesn't translate to MMA. He notes that Buchecha had to flop guard against Martin Buday and lost, showing he can't impose his game. Connor also mentions that Nzechukwu has size and reach advantages, and that Buchecha has no confidence in his striking. He sees this as a clear win for Nzechukwu.

Same as Zane.
"Got a pick and such a quill. Really do. Just Butchecha has such big, and I mean this in the most derogatory way, such big competitive Jiu Jitsu energy."
LU
Lucrative James Expert Hesitant picked Dec 7, 2025 (6 days before fight)
Marcus Buchecha

Lucrative James picks Marcus Buchecha, citing his elite grappling and the fact that Kennedy Nzechukwu has been submitted multiple times. He acknowledges Nzechukwu's striking advantage but believes Buchecha's takedown ability and submission threat are too strong to ignore. He projects Buchecha as a +120 underdog.

"I'm actually going to come out and pick Marcus Bache here. I just feel like the grappling upside is too much for me to ignore."
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Dec 10, 2025 (3 days before fight)
Marcus Buchecha

Paul also picks Buchecha, citing his world-class jiu-jitsu and the favorable matchup against a tall, lanky opponent. He thinks Buchecha's takedown ability and top control will be too much for Nzechukwu, and likes the submission prop.

Buchecha by sub +240
"The plus 240, plus 230 Buchecha by sub is of interest to me in this fight."
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Confident picked Dec 11, 2025 (2 days before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

Zane picks Nzechukwu because he has more confidence in his game than Buchecha, who lacks confidence in his striking and has no ability to get to his A-game. He notes that Nzechukwu is huge, has a reach advantage, and has been building confidence by fighting low-confidence heavyweights. Zane also points out that Buchecha's jiu-jitsu is not enough to overcome his poor wrestling and striking, and that he has 'big competitive jiu-jitsu energy' that doesn't translate to fighting.

Nzechukwu opened at -200, now -126; Buchecha opened at +170, now +106. Zane thinks Nzechukwu should be a bigger favorite.
"I really do think in Zechoku should be a pretty big favorite here. Yeah, but Chacho does not look like he enjoys fighting."
LOSS vs Valter Walker
Submission R1 0:54 · UFC on ESPN: Lewis vs. Teixeira · Jul 12, 2025
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Kennedy Nzechukwu 0 0 of 0 --- 0 of 0 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:03
Valter Walker 0 4 of 11 36% 4 of 11 1 of 2 50% 1 0 0:28
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Kennedy Nzechukwu 0 0 of 0 --- 0 of 0 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:03
Valter Walker 0 4 of 11 36% 4 of 11 1 of 2 50% 1 0 0:28
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Kennedy Nzechukwu 0 of 0 --- 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 0
Valter Walker 4 of 11 36% 4 of 11 0 of 0 0 of 0 1 of 4 3 of 7 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Kennedy Nzechukwu 0 of 0 --- 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 0
Valter Walker 4 of 11 36% 4 of 11 0 of 0 0 of 0 1 of 4 3 of 7 0 of 0
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Jul 6, 2025 (6 days before fight)
Valter Walker

Angelo thinks Valter Walker can close the distance and get the fight to the ground, where his grappling is a problem for Kennedy Nzechukwu. He notes Kennedy can be gunshy and has lost staring contests, while Walker has transformed his body and has back-to-back heel hook finishes. He plans to bet on Walker, monitoring the line movement to find the peak.

Plans to bet on Valter Walker; monitoring line movement to find peak odds.
"Valter is going to be the pick. Plus 180."
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Jul 8, 2025 (4 days before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

Big Brady sees this as a striker vs wrestler matchup. He expects Valter Walker to take Kennedy down early and win the first round, but questions Walker's cardio and striking. He believes Walker will gas out, allowing Kennedy to take over in the second and third rounds. He picks Kennedy by second-round knockout.

second round knockout
"I think we see Kennedy and Duku win by second late second round knockout here against Walter Walker. So Kennedy Kennedy KO2."
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident picked Jul 11, 2025 (1 day before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

Connor agrees, noting that Walker has no craft to his stand-up game and relies on a single trick (heel hooks). He thinks Nzechukwu is a better wrestler and grappler by virtue of being a former light heavyweight, and should be able to avoid the submission and win comfortably.

"I gotta assume that Zechikou could beat him... he's like by definition a better wrestler than every heavyweight defensively."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Jul 9, 2025 (3 days before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

The host expects Nzechukwu to make it 3-0 at heavyweight by stuffing Walker's takedowns and outworking him on the feet. He notes that Nzechukwu is not a title contender but should win a decision. The pick is based on Nzechukwu's ability to keep the fight standing and outpoint Walker.

"And Zachuku looking to make it 3 and 0 at heavyweight now. And I think he can do it successfully. Is he chockworthy? Probably not, but I think he'll be able to stuff the takedowns of Walker and Badger him …"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Jul 10, 2025 (2 days before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

The MMA Guru picks Kennedy Nzechukwu, citing Valter Walker's poor debut against Lucas Brzeski where he looked lost on the feet and had sloppy takedown entries. He notes Nzechukwu's ability to stuff takedowns, referencing his fight with Paul Craig where he shut down 16 attempts. He expects Nzechukwu to survive a first round of danger, then piece up Walker on the feet for a second or third round TKO.

second or third round TKO
"I'm going to go with Kennedy Nachuku over VA Walker. I think VA Walker is pretty good though and in his debut... he looked awful against Lucas Berski."
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Confident picked Jul 11, 2025 (1 day before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

Zane thinks Nzechukwu looked confident and aggressive in his last fight against Lukasz Brzeski, and as a former light heavyweight, he should have better wrestling and grappling than most heavyweights. He believes Walker's goofy heel-hook game won't work against a good wrestler, and Nzechukwu should be able to beat him standing or on the ground.

"I gotta take in Zechikou as well and I think he honestly might end up being dad enough to be heavyweight."
CANCEL vs Martin Buday
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Mar 30, 2025 (6 days before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

Angelo initially wanted to pick Martin Buday but changed his mind after rewatching Buday's fight against Andre Arlovski, where Buday struggled to outwork a 45-year-old. He notes Kennedy Nzechukwu has power and takedown defense, and despite being gun-shy at times, he can turn fights around. Angelo picks Kennedy but suggests a prop bet for better value due to the steep odds.

maybe a prop bet here to get some better value
"Kennedy is the pick maybe a prop bet here to get some better value minus 325 seems tough dude."
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Apr 1, 2025 (4 days before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

Big Brady picks Kennedy Nzechukwu despite acknowledging his inconsistency. He believes Martin Buday's game is limited to cage pushing and that Nzechukwu is the much better striker with more power and cardio. He expects a late finish, possibly a third-round KO.

third round KO
"I'll say third round KO for Kennedy and zuku"
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident picked Apr 3, 2025 (2 days before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

Connor agrees with Zane, picking Nzechukwu. He shares concerns about Nzechukwu's mental fragility but thinks Buday is not the fighter to exploit it. Connor notes that Buday's record is unimpressive and he hasn't faced killers, while Nzechukwu is a good athlete for his size. He warns that Nzechukwu starts slow, which could allow Buday to get comfortable, but ultimately sees Nzechukwu's skills prevailing.

"I kind of have trouble seeing it to be honest... I'll pick in such a crew as well."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Apr 3, 2025 (2 days before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

Buday will make the fight close by engaging in the clinch, but Nzechukwu's athleticism advantage and damage once back in space will cause problems. Nzechukwu is expected to win on the scorecards.

decision
"I think budai will make this fight very close by engaging in the clinch But ultimately it'll be the damage of enzu once he gets back out into space that will cause budai problems look for enzu to win this …"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Apr 3, 2025 (2 days before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

The Guru is confident in Kennedy Nzechukwu, mocking Martin Buday's poor physique and calling him out of shape. He believes Nzechukwu's reach and dynamism will be too much for Buday, and predicts a first-round TKO via big shots. He notes Buday's training with Tom Aspinall but doesn't think it will help.

Kennedy Nzechukwu wins by TKO in round 1
"I'm going with Kennedy as a Chuku. TKO finish round one. Big shots put away Martin Bedair."
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Confident picked Apr 3, 2025 (2 days before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

Zane picks Nzechukwu, noting he is more technical, diverse, and athletic than Buday. He acknowledges Nzechukwu's confidence issues and tendency to get scared off by aggression, but believes Buday's slow, steady pressure won't overwhelm him. Zane points out that Buday is durable but not powerful, and Nzechukwu has many options to win, though he could still lose if Buday just leans on him.

Nzechukwu opened -274, now -336; Buday opened +219, now +292. Zane says the line is too wide.
"I'll pick in such a crew as well, but it flies in the face of the dadliness theory of heavyweight and I won't be at all surprised if Budai just gets out there grabs him and mashes him on the …"
TKO (punches) R1 4:51 · UFC 310: Pantoja vs. Asakura · Dec 07, 2024
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Kennedy Nzechukwu 1 29 of 70 41% 29 of 70 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:04
Łukasz Brzeski 0 32 of 69 46% 32 of 69 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:00
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Kennedy Nzechukwu 1 29 of 70 41% 29 of 70 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:04
Łukasz Brzeski 0 32 of 69 46% 32 of 69 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Kennedy Nzechukwu 29 of 70 41% 19 of 55 10 of 13 0 of 2 26 of 67 0 of 0 3 of 3
Łukasz Brzeski 32 of 69 46% 16 of 50 6 of 9 10 of 10 32 of 69 0 of 0 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Kennedy Nzechukwu 29 of 70 41% 19 of 55 10 of 13 0 of 2 26 of 67 0 of 0 3 of 3
Łukasz Brzeski 32 of 69 46% 16 of 50 6 of 9 10 of 10 32 of 69 0 of 0 0 of 0
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Nov 30, 2024 (7 days before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

Angelo picks Kennedy Nzechukwu, noting he is a massive heavyweight with an 83-inch reach, decent takedown defense, and power. He believes Nzechukwu's physicality and power will overwhelm Brzeski, who is chinny and coming off a knockout loss. Angelo mentions Nzechukwu is not a true heavyweight but looked fine in his last fight. He considers the odds of -500 fair and might include Nzechukwu in a parlay.

Might throw in a parlay
"Kennedy should win here... minus 500 seems fair to me I might honestly throw that in a parlay"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Dec 4, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

Cody picks Nzechukwu, citing his size, reach, and power advantage. He notes Brzeski's poor record and suspect chin. He expects Nzechukwu to win by knockout, though he acknowledges heavyweight volatility.

"I think Kennedy kills him... he goes out there and romps him."
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident picked Dec 6, 2024 (1 day before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

Connor picks Nzechukwu confidently, noting that Brzeski cannot take shots and has low output. He points out that Nzechukwu is huge and can build into a fight, and that Brzeski does not have the power or volume to hurt him early. Connor believes Nzechukwu's size and durability will be too much for Brzeski.

Connor says the odds are too wide but Brzeski is not good, so it doesn't matter.
"I don't think it's in such a cool even on a bad night... I think he can handle that."
DA
Daniel Vreeland Expert Confident picked Dec 3, 2024 (4 days before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

Daniel picks Nzechukwu, citing his size and skill advantage at heavyweight. He believes Nzechukwu's reach and southpaw stance will be key, and expects a knockout given Brzeski's recent losses. He notes Nzechukwu's improved durability without the weight cut.

by KO
"I'm going to go Kennedy and Zetu to win the first fight of the night."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Dec 6, 2024 (1 day before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

Nzechukwu is never really super reliable as a -500 favorite, but I expect him to touch up Brzeski from distance and eventually open up a knockout opportunity for himself in the second or third round.

knockout in rounds 2-3
"I expect him to touch up dry from distance and eventually open up a knockout opportunity for himself in the second or third round"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Dec 4, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

Paul picks Nzechukwu, citing his physical advantages and Brzeski's lack of skills. He notes Nzechukwu's move to heavyweight and improved comfort. He expects a dominant win, but warns against heavy betting due to heavyweight unpredictability.

"Kennedy Nzechukwu... I think he goes out there and romps him."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Dec 3, 2024 (4 days before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

The MMA Guru picks Kennedy Nzechukwu, citing his size, reach advantage, and skill difference on the feet. He thinks Nzechukwu will be bigger and more skilled than Brzeski, who is a smaller heavyweight. He believes Nzechukwu will win and could go far in the division.

"I'm going with Kennedy as a chukwu this was supposed to be someone called talison toera versus Lucas Bersy however Kennedy Nuku steps in on short note"
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Confident picked Dec 6, 2024 (1 day before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

Zane agrees, picking Nzechukwu. He notes that Brzeski is a low-output volume fighter who cannot take shots, and that Nzechukwu is a giant who can come back into fights. Zane believes Brzeski will not be able to do enough damage to stop Nzechukwu from finding his rhythm.

"Agreed that's really it."
WIN vs Chris Barnett
TKO (knee to the body and punches) R1 4:27 · UFC 308: Topuria vs. Holloway · Oct 26, 2024
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Kennedy Nzechukwu 0 51 of 74 68% 51 of 74 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Chris Barnett 0 12 of 34 35% 12 of 34 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Kennedy Nzechukwu 0 51 of 74 68% 51 of 74 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Chris Barnett 0 12 of 34 35% 12 of 34 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Kennedy Nzechukwu 51 of 74 68% 28 of 50 22 of 23 1 of 1 50 of 73 0 of 0 1 of 1
Chris Barnett 12 of 34 35% 3 of 22 2 of 3 7 of 9 12 of 34 0 of 0 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Kennedy Nzechukwu 51 of 74 68% 28 of 50 22 of 23 1 of 1 50 of 73 0 of 0 1 of 1
Chris Barnett 12 of 34 35% 3 of 22 2 of 3 7 of 9 12 of 34 0 of 0 0 of 0
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Hesitant picked Oct 20, 2024 (6 days before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

Angelo picks Kennedy Nzechukwu but is very hesitant. He notes Kennedy is taller, longer, and had a full camp, but warns that Kennedy 'kind of sucks' and was a massive favorite who lost to an older opponent in his last fight. He advises staying far away from betting on this fight due to the risk.

Stay far away from this fight; no bet recommended.
"I'm going to pick Kennedy he should win... but leave it the hell alone."
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Oct 23, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

Big Brady picks Nzechukwu, noting his significant size advantage (6'5" vs 5'9" on paper, but Barnett is likely shorter). He believes Kennedy has many ways to win: knockout, submission, or decision. He acknowledges Kennedy can be inconsistent but cannot pick Barnett. He predicts a second-round submission.

second round submission
"I think he does look minus 750 with a second round submission so I'll take Kennedy to win this fight"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Oct 23, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

Cody picks Kennedy Nzechukwu, citing his massive reach and height advantage. He notes that Barnett is old, overweight, and has low volume. Cody believes Nzechukwu's length and striking will keep Barnett at range, and that he will win by knockout in the second round. However, he warns that heavyweight fights are unpredictable.

"I got Kenny at the number"
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident picked Oct 25, 2024 (1 day before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

Connor picks Nzechukwu, agreeing that Barnett is a total mess who can't consistently win rounds. He notes that Nzechukwu has the size to dominate but lacks confidence, but against Barnett, he should be able to use his reach and size to win. Connor is not confident in Nzechukwu long-term but sees this as a favorable matchup.

"Yeah, I guess I'm with you, but I do not think, no, I don't think in such a cool long-term, like the data is not there. It just doesn't have the confidence to be a heavyweight. You gotta be a …"
DA
Daniel Vreeland Expert Confident picked Oct 23, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

Daniel Vreeland picks Kennedy Nzechukwu to win, citing massive advantages in size, reach, and level of competition. He notes that Barnett does not belong in the UFC and that Nzechukwu can win easily by takedown or striking. Vreeland believes the true price is around -900 and that Nzechukwu is a much worse matchup for Barnett than Junior Tafa.

"Kennedy's you know bigger better like an actual fighter"
DA
Daniel Vreeland Expert Confident picked Oct 23, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Chris Barnett

Daniel Vreeland is taking the huge underdog Chris Barnett. He argues that Nzechukwu has awful cardio, no motivation to come in shape now that he doesn't have to cut weight, and gets knocked out. Barnett is a heavy puncher who has won two of his last three by knockout, and Vreeland sees value at +500.

"Chris Barnett you at plus 500 let's make this the fourth week in a row that I hit a plus 400 or better"
JE
Jeff Fox Expert Hesitant picked Oct 23, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

Jeff Fox is reluctantly picking Nzechukwu, pushed into a corner by Vreeland's strong argument for Barnett. He acknowledges Nzechukwu's cardio issues and lack of motivation but still believes he is better than Barnett's previous opponents. Fox seems uncomfortable with the pick but sticks with Nzechukwu.

"I just can't I can't stand here and let somebody talk about that Kennedy and zugu is much better than insert most UFC have"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Oct 25, 2024 (1 day before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

Nzechukwu is a big favorite but tough to trust after his last performance. He should keep Barnett at bay and possibly find a finish after the 1.5 round mark. However, minus 700 is a bit too wide for comfort.

Nzechukwu wins by finish after 1.5 rounds; odds -700 considered too wide
"I do expect him to keep Barnett at Bay possibly find a finish over the one and a half round mark but I do think that en zuku wins this fight minus 700 is just a little bit too wide"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Oct 23, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

Paul picks Nzechukwu, agreeing that Barnett is a freak show fighter past his prime. He notes that Nzechukwu's reach and volume will be too much, and that Barnett's durability is questionable. Paul is confident Nzechukwu wins but avoids betting at heavy odds.

"Kennedy should have absolutely the volume the skill the reach"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Oct 22, 2024 (4 days before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

The Guru picks Kennedy Nzechukwu, citing Barnett's long layoff (over two years), age (38), and questionable conditioning. He believes Nzechukwu's athleticism and range will allow him to pick apart Barnett. He notes Barnett's past fight cancellations and weight issues. The Guru predicts Nzechukwu will win by decision or late finish.

"I'm going to go with Kennedy Nzechukwu I think it'll take an athletic heavyweight with some pop behind his shots to put away Kennedy Nzechukwu."
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Confident picked Oct 25, 2024 (1 day before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

Zane picks Nzechukwu despite his lack of power and confidence, because Barnett is a tiny heavyweight with no real tools besides confidence. Nzechukwu's size and reach will allow him to crowd Barnett and overwhelm him, though he expects a messy fight. Zane notes that Barnett has lost to other former light heavyweights and lacks durability.

"I'm going to pick him against Chris Barnett. I mean, it's very comical that we, we're talking about how he's more than big enough to be a big heavyweight. And his first opponent in the division is going to be …"
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Confident picked Oct 26, 2024 (fight day)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

Zane picked Nzechukwu, noting that Barnett is a fun fighter but not going to beat big heavyweights. He highlighted that Barnett injured his leg in the pre-fight intro and further during a wheel kick, which was predictable given his rushed recovery from an Achilles injury. Zane praised Nzechukwu's size and form but questioned his confidence, suggesting he may struggle against other big heavyweights.

"if he's fighting guys like barnet i'm gonna pick him every time because barnet is a ton of fun and a fun mean fighter but he's not gonna beat big heavyweights"
Decision R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: Tuivasa vs. Tybura · Mar 16, 2024
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Ovince Saint Preux 1 143 of 276 51% 143 of 276 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:06
Kennedy Nzechukwu 0 106 of 250 42% 106 of 250 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:08
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Ovince Saint Preux 0 26 of 57 45% 26 of 57 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Kennedy Nzechukwu 0 22 of 57 38% 22 of 57 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Ovince Saint Preux 0 44 of 79 55% 44 of 79 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Kennedy Nzechukwu 0 29 of 80 36% 29 of 80 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:00
3 Ovince Saint Preux 1 73 of 140 52% 73 of 140 0 of 2 0% 0 0 0:06
Kennedy Nzechukwu 0 55 of 113 48% 55 of 113 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:08
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Ovince Saint Preux 143 of 276 51% 98 of 223 32 of 39 13 of 14 131 of 262 11 of 13 1 of 1
Kennedy Nzechukwu 106 of 250 42% 85 of 213 19 of 35 2 of 2 93 of 235 13 of 15 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Ovince Saint Preux 26 of 57 45% 10 of 38 7 of 10 9 of 9 26 of 57 0 of 0 0 of 0
Kennedy Nzechukwu 22 of 57 38% 14 of 37 6 of 18 2 of 2 22 of 57 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Ovince Saint Preux 44 of 79 55% 30 of 62 10 of 12 4 of 5 44 of 79 0 of 0 0 of 0
Kennedy Nzechukwu 29 of 80 36% 25 of 73 4 of 7 0 of 0 28 of 79 1 of 1 0 of 0
3 Ovince Saint Preux 73 of 140 52% 58 of 123 15 of 17 0 of 0 61 of 126 11 of 13 1 of 1
Kennedy Nzechukwu 55 of 113 48% 46 of 103 9 of 10 0 of 0 43 of 99 12 of 14 0 of 0
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Lock picked Mar 11, 2024 (5 days before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

Angelo calls this his most confident pick on the card. Nzechukwu is long, powerful, has solid takedown defense, and is never out of a fight, though he can be gun-shy. Saint Preux is 40, has no chin, and is frustratingly low-volume, rarely letting his hands go. Angelo sees no path to victory for Saint Preux outside a Hail Mary bomb, which is unlikely given his low output. He thinks Nzechukwu will win easily.

"the pick is quite frankly very easy to be Kennedy here and he's my most confident pick on this entire card"
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Mar 12, 2024 (4 days before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

Big Brady picks Kennedy Nzechukwu to win by first-round knockout. He believes OSP is past his prime and not motivated, while Nzechukwu is a big favorite for a reason. He expects a quick finish despite Nzechukwu's history of weird outcomes.

by first round knockout
"Give me Kennedy here Kennedy to win this fight by first round knockout"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked Mar 13, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

Cody is confident in Kennedy Nzechukwu, believing OSP is completely washed and on his way out. He details OSP's decline: missing weight, looking flat, and being knocked out in recent fights. He acknowledges Kennedy's chin issues but thinks OSP lacks the power to exploit them. He warns against the minus 500 line but still picks Kennedy.

"I'd go with Kennedy because I really do think OSP is completely washed... he's on the back nine."
LU
Lucrative James Expert Confident picked Mar 12, 2024 (4 days before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

Lucrative James sees Kennedy Nzechukwu as a massive favorite and expects him to finish the fight. He notes that OSP has looked washed recently, with poor cardio and chin, and that Kennedy can knock him out on the feet, with elbows, or in the clinch. He dismisses OSP's chances, stating that the only way OSP wins is if Kennedy makes a huge mistake.

Kennedy Nzechukwu by finish
"I think Kennedy's gonna finish this fight."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Mar 15, 2024 (1 day before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

The host notes that Saint Preux is nearing 41 and fighting a young, hungry fighter in Nzechukwu, who should have speed and power advantages. He expects Nzechukwu to light up Saint Preux early and get a TKO, but mentions that the -500 or -700 odds are too much given the weight class and Saint Preux's experience. He still thinks the under 1.5 rounds should come through easily.

under 1.5 rounds
"I think that will see en zuku light up same prw early and eventually get him out of there by TKO minus 500 orus 700 is a little bit too much for me"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked Mar 13, 2024 (3 days before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

Paul also picks Kennedy, echoing that OSP is done. He notes Kennedy's physical advantages (size, speed, reach) and OSP's inability to take punches anymore. He calls it an 'apple pie situation' where fading OSP is tempting but warns about Kennedy's own flaws. He still expects Kennedy to win.

"I would definitely take Kenny Nzechukwu in this fight but minus 500 screams... we're fading OSP being so bad."
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Mar 12, 2024 (4 days before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

The Guru picks Kennedy Nzechukwu by TKO, citing OSP's age (40) and recent KO loss to Philipe Lins. He notes Nzechukwu is chinny but has youth and momentum. He dismisses OSP's win over Shogun as controversial and believes Nzechukwu will get the finish.

TKO win
"I'm going to go Nuku gets a TKO win here although he is maybe the chest fighter in UFC history I'm going to trust him to win against ENT St PR in 2024."
LOSS vs Dustin Jacoby
TKO (punches) R1 1:22 · UFC on ESPN: Sandhagen vs. Font · Aug 05, 2023
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Dustin Jacoby 1 10 of 33 30% 10 of 33 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:04
Kennedy Nzechukwu 0 4 of 18 22% 4 of 18 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Dustin Jacoby 1 10 of 33 30% 10 of 33 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:04
Kennedy Nzechukwu 0 4 of 18 22% 4 of 18 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Dustin Jacoby 10 of 33 30% 5 of 28 0 of 0 5 of 5 10 of 26 0 of 0 0 of 7
Kennedy Nzechukwu 4 of 18 22% 3 of 14 0 of 3 1 of 1 4 of 18 0 of 0 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Dustin Jacoby 10 of 33 30% 5 of 28 0 of 0 5 of 5 10 of 26 0 of 0 0 of 7
Kennedy Nzechukwu 4 of 18 22% 3 of 14 0 of 3 1 of 1 4 of 18 0 of 0 0 of 0
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Hesitant picked Jul 30, 2023 (6 days before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

Angelo picks Kennedy Nzechukwu despite acknowledging Dustin Jacoby is the better striker. He notes that Kennedy is bigger, more dangerous, and has fought higher competition. He warns that Kennedy is never out of a fight and can come from behind, but also mentions that Jacoby was dropped in his last fight, which is concerning. Angelo admits he would love Jacoby as an underdog if not for that, but ultimately goes with Kennedy's danger factor.

"the pick's gonna be Kennedy but I'm going to be rooting for Dustin"
BI
Big Brady Expert Hesitant picked Aug 1, 2023 (4 days before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

Big Brady is uncertain but leans toward Nzechukwu. He argues that if Nzechukwu strikes with Jacoby he'll lose, but his path to victory is wrestling. He notes Nzechukwu's takedown defense is good and his grappling has improved, as seen in recent fights. He thinks Nzechukwu can take Jacoby down and control him, especially since Jacoby has been taken down many times before. He predicts a decision win but admits Nzechukwu fights are hard to predict.

Nzechukwu by decision
"I'll pick him to win by decision but the more I think about this one the more I don't feel amazing about it"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Lean picked Aug 2, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

Cody leans towards Nzechukwu on the moneyline, but his main interest is a small poke on Kennedy by submission at +950. He believes Kennedy will rely on grappling and can submit Jacoby, who has faced few grapplers. He notes Jacoby's kickboxing base and cardio, but thinks Kennedy's improvements in grappling and size could be decisive.

Kennedy by submission +950 (small poke)
"I see like a plus 950 on Kennedy by sub... I'm probably gonna take a little small poke on that"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Lean picked Aug 2, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

Daniel Levi leans toward Kennedy Nzechukwu but is not confident. He acknowledges Jacoby's striking credentials and past success, but worries about Jacoby's age (35-36) and potential decline. Levi notes Nzechukwu's physical advantages (7-inch reach, southpaw) and his knack for comebacks, but also his slow starts and durability concerns. He sees this as a dog-or-pass situation and prefers Nzechukwu at the current price, though he would have picked Jacoby two years ago.

Mentions that he would take a comeback at dog odds but not at -150. No specific prop bet.
"I'm gonna lean Kennedy but it's a tough fight."
LU
Lucrative James Expert Confident picked Aug 4, 2023 (1 day before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

James changed his mind after tape. He thinks Nzechukwu is younger, more athletic, and on an upward trajectory while Jacoby is declining. Nzechukwu's height and reach advantage will disrupt Jacoby's outside kickboxing game. He expects Nzechukwu to force pressure, clinch, and possibly finish inside the distance.

inside the distance
"I think Kennedy will win this fight... probably even inside the distance."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked Aug 4, 2023 (1 day before fight)
Dustin Jacoby

Jacoby loves combination striking, leg kicks, and body work. He had a 6-1-1 run until a split decision loss to Khalil Rountree and a bad KO loss. If he can stay safe and not get dropped, he should outpoint Nzechukwu, who is explosive but wears down. Jacoby's durability is a concern, but I'm sticking with Jacoby as a dog shot. He wins by decision.

"I'm going to stick with Jacoby here's the dog shot I think he's worth the play here"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Lean picked Aug 2, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Dustin Jacoby

Paul takes Jacoby at plus money, citing his volume, leg kicks, and takedown defense. He notes Kennedy's suspect cardio and tendency to get rocked, and believes Jacoby can outland him in a kickboxing match. However, he acknowledges Jacoby's fights are often close decisions and only takes him at plus money.

"I'll take a dog poke here at Dustin Jacoby at the slight plus money"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Aug 1, 2023 (4 days before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

The host picks Kennedy Nzechukwu, citing his youth (31), durability, and recent momentum. He believes Nzechukwu will out-volume Jacoby and has a granite chin. He notes Jacoby is 35 and coming off a loss. He thinks Nzechukwu wins by decision but could finish. He warns that if the line goes above -165, value shifts to Jacoby.

line opened -126, now -156; suggests decision win for Nzechukwu; value on Jacoby if line exceeds -165
"I gotta lean Kennedy and shaku in the spot"
WIN vs Devin Clark
Technical Submission (guillotine choke) R2 2:28 · UFC 288: Sterling vs. Cejudo · May 06, 2023
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Kennedy Nzechukwu 0 62 of 81 76% 79 of 98 0 of 1 0% 1 0 3:42
Devin Clark 0 36 of 58 62% 61 of 90 1 of 4 25% 0 0 1:04
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Kennedy Nzechukwu 0 41 of 53 77% 54 of 66 0 of 1 0% 0 0 2:35
Devin Clark 0 25 of 37 67% 47 of 65 1 of 3 33% 0 0 0:44
2 Kennedy Nzechukwu 0 21 of 28 75% 25 of 32 0 of 0 --- 1 0 1:07
Devin Clark 0 11 of 21 52% 14 of 25 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:20
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Kennedy Nzechukwu 62 of 81 76% 44 of 63 18 of 18 0 of 0 9 of 17 53 of 64 0 of 0
Devin Clark 36 of 58 62% 25 of 46 7 of 8 4 of 4 13 of 28 23 of 30 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Kennedy Nzechukwu 41 of 53 77% 34 of 46 7 of 7 0 of 0 2 of 3 39 of 50 0 of 0
Devin Clark 25 of 37 67% 18 of 29 3 of 4 4 of 4 5 of 10 20 of 27 0 of 0
2 Kennedy Nzechukwu 21 of 28 75% 10 of 17 11 of 11 0 of 0 7 of 14 14 of 14 0 of 0
Devin Clark 11 of 21 52% 7 of 17 4 of 4 0 of 0 8 of 18 3 of 3 0 of 0
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Confident picked Apr 30, 2023 (6 days before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

Angelo picks Kennedy Nzechukwu, noting his length, power, and ability to come back from behind. He compares this fight to Kennedy's last win where he lost the first round before knocking out Jan Kutulaba. Angelo is hesitant because Kennedy can be a slow starter and gun-shy, which could allow Devin Clark to grind out early rounds. However, he believes Kennedy hits too hard and is never out of a fight, expecting a finish similar to his last performance.

"I've got to go Kennedy and chuckle here right well Devin could have some early success wrestling... Kennedy Just Hits too hard"
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked May 1, 2023 (5 days before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

Big Brady picks Nzechukwu, citing his massive size and reach advantages. He notes Nzechukwu is finally putting it together, showing improved grappling and takedown defense. He believes Clark will struggle with the reach and power, and Nzechukwu's get-up game is excellent. He predicts a second-round knockout, as Nzechukwu starts slow but finishes strong.

Second round knockout prediction
"I like Kennedy here I like Kennedy to start slow... I think he finishes Devin Clark in that second or third round by knockout"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Confident picked May 3, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Devin Clark

Cody sees value in Clark at plus money, noting his cardio and cage control are his best weapons. He believes Clark can press Nzechukwu against the fence, use outside trips to take him down, and grind out a win. He points out that Nzechukwu has been taken down by lesser wrestlers and Clark's style is perfectly suited to exploit that.

Live betting on Clark after first round
"I'm gonna go with the first option which is uh he holds on to him against the cage and wins two of the three rounds"
CO
Connor Ruebusch Expert Confident picked May 4, 2023 (2 days before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

Connor picks Nzechukwu more confidently, arguing that Nzechukwu has a plan and can use pressure striking and reach, not just clinching. He notes Devin Clark has no technical foundation and relies on physicality, but Nzechukwu can adapt and find moments. Connor acknowledges Clark is tough and strong, but Nzechukwu should be able to outwork him.

Nzechukwu opened at -217, now -180; Clark opened +182, now +163.
"I do have to pick the Chukwu. He's a fighter with a plan and Devin Clark isn't."
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Confident picked May 1, 2023 (5 days before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

The host picks Kennedy Nzechukwu by late first round stoppage. He believes Nzechukwu's improved striking and power will overcome Devin Clark's grappling. He notes Clark's durability issues and expects Nzechukwu to land big shots after a potentially sticky early grappling exchange.

Nzechukwu by stoppage, round 1
"I'm going to go in zatsuku here by late first round stoppage"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Confident picked May 3, 2023 (3 days before fight)
Devin Clark

Paul also picks Clark, having bet him at +180. He notes Clark's chin concerns are overblown, as he's shown durability in recent fights. He expects Clark to use his wrestling and pressure to control the fight, similar to his win over Jung. He thinks the line is too wide.

"I took a shot at plus 180 on Devin Clark not exactly my favorite fighter historically I just thought the line is a little bit wide"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked May 1, 2023 (5 days before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

The Guru picks Nzechukwu, citing his size and range advantage over Clark. He believes Nzechukwu will pick at Clark on the feet and land knees as Clark closes distance. He acknowledges Nzechukwu's questionable chin (KO by Dalton Young) but thinks Clark's wrestling won't be effective due to Nzechukwu's size. He predicts a TKO in the later rounds.

TKO in later rounds
"I'm gonna side with nazochukwu over Devon Clark ... I'm going with him by TKO in the later rounds"
ZA
Zane Simon Expert Hesitant picked May 4, 2023 (2 days before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

Zane picks Nzechukwu but is hesitant because Nzechukwu is not a range fighter and may struggle to avoid Clark's physicality. He notes Clark is beatable if you don't fight his fight, but Nzechukwu tends to clinch and pressure, which could play into Clark's strengths. However, Nzechukwu gets stronger as fights go on and Clark is not a finisher, giving Nzechukwu time to grow into the fight.

Nzechukwu opened at -217, now -180; Clark opened +182, now +163; odds tightening.
"I'm going to pick the Chukwu because he does get stronger as fights go on and Clark is not a finisher."
Karl Roberson - Fight History
TKO (elbows) R3 2:19 · UFC on ESPN: dos Anjos vs. Fiziev · Jul 09, 2022
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Kennedy Nzechukwu 0 20 of 43 46% 64 of 114 5 of 7 71% 1 0 10:46
Karl Roberson 0 9 of 19 47% 16 of 26 0 of 3 0% 0 0 0:23
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Kennedy Nzechukwu 0 3 of 8 37% 9 of 17 2 of 4 50% 0 0 4:16
Karl Roberson 0 1 of 2 50% 8 of 9 0 of 3 0% 0 0 0:23
2 Kennedy Nzechukwu 0 2 of 7 28% 39 of 66 2 of 2 100% 0 0 4:41
Karl Roberson 0 6 of 10 60% 6 of 10 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
3 Kennedy Nzechukwu 0 15 of 28 53% 16 of 31 1 of 1 100% 1 0 1:49
Karl Roberson 0 2 of 7 28% 2 of 7 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Kennedy Nzechukwu 20 of 43 46% 18 of 37 2 of 6 0 of 0 3 of 22 0 of 0 17 of 21
Karl Roberson 9 of 19 47% 4 of 13 4 of 5 1 of 1 9 of 19 0 of 0 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Kennedy Nzechukwu 3 of 8 37% 2 of 7 1 of 1 0 of 0 0 of 5 0 of 0 3 of 3
Karl Roberson 1 of 2 50% 0 of 1 1 of 1 0 of 0 1 of 2 0 of 0 0 of 0
2 Kennedy Nzechukwu 2 of 7 28% 1 of 4 1 of 3 0 of 0 2 of 7 0 of 0 0 of 0
Karl Roberson 6 of 10 60% 4 of 8 2 of 2 0 of 0 6 of 10 0 of 0 0 of 0
3 Kennedy Nzechukwu 15 of 28 53% 15 of 26 0 of 2 0 of 0 1 of 10 0 of 0 14 of 18
Karl Roberson 2 of 7 28% 0 of 4 1 of 2 1 of 1 2 of 7 0 of 0 0 of 0
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Hesitant picked Jul 3, 2022 (6 days before fight)
Karl Roberson

Angelo picks Karl Roberson despite Kennedy Nzechukwu's power and reach. He notes Roberson is the better all-around fighter with solid game planning and takedowns against strikers. He worries about Roberson's knockout loss to Khalil Rountree but believes Roberson's clean technique and solid game planning will get it done. He acknowledges Kennedy will be dangerous the entire 15 minutes.

"I think roberson gets it done with clean technique and solid game planning."
BI
Big Brady Expert Hesitant picked Jul 5, 2022 (4 days before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

Big Brady picks Kennedy Nzechukwu primarily due to his significant size advantage (4-inch height, 9-inch reach) and superior cardio. He notes that Kennedy is still green and inconsistent, but Karl Roberson's low output, inconsistency, and three-fight skid make him hard to trust. Brady acknowledges that Roberson is more skilled but believes Kennedy's physical attributes and cardio will allow him to do more over three rounds. He expresses low confidence, calling it a borderline '100 gambler fight' and says he won't bet it.

"if i had to make a pick give me kennedy for the size for the cardio for the physical attributes but i don't know if the skills there"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Lean picked Jul 6, 2022 (3 days before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

Cody picks Nzechukwu but with low confidence. He notes Nzechukwu has a huge reach advantage but doesn't use it well, and his fights are often sloppy. He thinks Roberson has better kickboxing but terrible ring IQ. He sees this as a low-level fight where either could win.

Mentions Nzechukwu over 47.5 significant strikes on PrizePicks.
"i'll take kennedy and jukwu as my pick will not be betting that whatsoever i think over 47 and a half significant strikes for him is very low though"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert picked Jul 9, 2022 (fight day)

The host discusses this fight but does not place a bet. He acknowledges that Roberson is technically the better striker and could win if he grapples, but he does not trust Roberson's fight IQ. He mentions that Roberson could win by decision or submission but ultimately does not pull the trigger.

"I like Roberson tonight ... if he grapples he is technically the better Striker so if he just LED kicks his way to Victory that's absolutely possible I'm just not trusting you man his only qualm is his fight IQ"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Lean picked Jul 6, 2022 (3 days before fight)
Karl Roberson

Paul picks Roberson as a dog, noting his striking is more refined and he has better kickboxing. He thinks Roberson's durability could hold up and he might mix in takedowns. However, he's not confident due to Roberson's poor decision-making.

"i would say if carl robertson's gonna be able to get to the money i think he's a little more refined i need his durability to stand out to hold up a little bit and then you know mix in …"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Jul 4, 2022 (5 days before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

The Guru picks Kennedy Nzechukwu due to his massive size and reach advantage (9-inch reach). He believes Nzechukwu should have won his last fight and that Roberson lacks power at range. He worries about Nzechukwu's chin but notes Roberson doesn't take punches well either. He predicts a 29-28 decision win at range.

29-28 decision
"I'm going to be going with Kennedy Nzechukwu here, way bigger, way longer."
TKO (body kick and punches) R2 0:25 · UFC Fight Night: Santos vs. Ankalaev · Mar 12, 2022
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Khalil Rountree Jr. 2 26 of 69 37% 26 of 69 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:15
Karl Roberson 0 17 of 28 60% 17 of 28 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Khalil Rountree Jr. 0 18 of 54 33% 18 of 54 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Karl Roberson 0 17 of 27 62% 17 of 27 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Khalil Rountree Jr. 2 8 of 15 53% 8 of 15 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:15
Karl Roberson 0 0 of 1 0% 0 of 1 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Khalil Rountree Jr. 26 of 69 37% 16 of 53 5 of 9 5 of 7 17 of 55 5 of 7 4 of 7
Karl Roberson 17 of 28 60% 4 of 10 6 of 9 7 of 9 16 of 27 1 of 1 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Khalil Rountree Jr. 18 of 54 33% 10 of 41 3 of 6 5 of 7 14 of 48 4 of 6 0 of 0
Karl Roberson 17 of 27 62% 4 of 9 6 of 9 7 of 9 16 of 26 1 of 1 0 of 0
2 Khalil Rountree Jr. 8 of 15 53% 6 of 12 2 of 3 0 of 0 3 of 7 1 of 1 4 of 7
Karl Roberson 0 of 1 0% 0 of 1 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 1 0 of 0 0 of 0
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Lean picked Mar 6, 2022 (6 days before fight)
Karl Roberson

Angelo gives a slight edge to Karl Roberson because he believes Roberson can hang in the striking and has a clear path to victory via takedowns. He notes that the skill gap on the ground is wider than on the feet, favoring Roberson. However, he acknowledges that Khalil Rountree is a very good striker and could knock Roberson out at any moment.

"i am giving the slight edge to roberson here because i think he can hang in the striking and there is a clear path to victory him for him with the takedowns"
BI
Big Brady Expert Confident picked Mar 7, 2022 (5 days before fight)
Karl Roberson

Big Brady picks Karl Roberson to win by third-round submission. He notes Roberson has never been knocked out and has underrated grappling, despite being submitted by elite grapplers. He points out that Rountree has zero takedowns in 11 UFC fights, so Roberson will likely keep the fight standing where he is the better striker. He also thinks Roberson can mix in takedowns and submit Rountree, who has poor takedown defense (50%). He expects Roberson to out-strike Rountree for two rounds then get a submission in the third.

third round submission
"i'm gonna say he wins this fight by like a third round submission"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Lean picked Mar 10, 2022 (2 days before fight)
Khalil Rountree Jr.

Cody leans Rountree, citing his durability, power, and pressure. He notes Roberson's ground game is weak but Rountree won't exploit it. He sees it as a striking battle where Rountree's forward pressure and power give him the edge.

"i just think i'm going to go with durability towards khalil roundtree power towards kill roundtree"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Lean picked Mar 11, 2022 (1 day before fight)
Khalil Rountree Jr.

Daniel Levi leans with Khalil Rountree Jr., citing his speed advantage and the fact that when Rountree is mentally on and there's no takedown threat, he can be a serious problem. He notes that both fighters have been flaky and can't be fully trusted, but Rountree's speed gives him the edge. Levi acknowledges that Karl Roberson might be tougher but thinks Rountree's speed is the difference.

"i'm going to lean with khalil roundtree with the speed advantage here"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Lean picked Mar 9, 2022 (3 days before fight)
Karl Roberson

Roberson is seen as the more technical striker with a better overall MMA game, including grappling and clinch work. He can nullify Rountree's early power and then chip away with kicks and takedowns. Rountree has been inconsistent, with losses to Prachnio and Cutelaba. Roberson is expected to win via decision, using a grapple-heavy game plan.

Decision line for Roberson at plus 300 is mentioned as intriguing; submission line also noted.
"I think Roberson is the side here. I'm not 100% sold on him yet though, but I do think he is the side."
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert picked Mar 10, 2022 (2 days before fight)

Paul has no clear pick, calling it a dogger pass. He notes both fighters have moments but he doesn't trust either. He mentions Rountree's inconsistency and Roberson's cancellations.

"this one's more of a dogger pass to me"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Mar 7, 2022 (5 days before fight)
Khalil Rountree Jr.

The MMA Guru picks Khalil Rountree Jr. over Karl Roberson, expecting a stand-up contest. He believes Rountree has a big advantage on the feet and will pull the trigger more than in his last fight. He predicts a KO in round two, as Rountree lands powerful shots and gains respect. He notes that Roberson has shown some grappling ability but doesn't think it will be enough to stop Rountree.

KO round 2
"i'm going to go with khalil roundtree here i think he's big enough strong enough to stop the grappling of carl roberson"
LOSS vs Brendan Allen
Submission (ankle lock) R1 4:55 · UFC 261: Usman vs. Masvidal 2 · Apr 24, 2021
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Brendan Allen 0 6 of 14 42% 15 of 24 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Karl Roberson 0 9 of 16 56% 15 of 22 2 of 2 100% 1 0 3:16
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Brendan Allen 0 6 of 14 42% 15 of 24 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Karl Roberson 0 9 of 16 56% 15 of 22 2 of 2 100% 1 0 3:16
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Brendan Allen 6 of 14 42% 5 of 11 0 of 2 1 of 1 6 of 14 0 of 0 0 of 0
Karl Roberson 9 of 16 56% 4 of 11 1 of 1 4 of 4 9 of 16 0 of 0 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Brendan Allen 6 of 14 42% 5 of 11 0 of 2 1 of 1 6 of 14 0 of 0 0 of 0
Karl Roberson 9 of 16 56% 4 of 11 1 of 1 4 of 4 9 of 16 0 of 0 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Brendan Allen vs. Karl Roberson

Round 1
An all-action middleweight contest is next, as two thrillers that prefer to finish their foes lock horns, when Allen (15-4, 3-1 UFC) looks to pacify “Baby K” Roberson (9-3, 4-3 UFC). The Octagon ranger for this battle is referee Dan Miragliotta, and the two decide to touch gloves before trying to take the other’s head off. Allen quickly lets loose a head kick as soon as he retracts the touch, and Roberson is barely able to block it in time. Both men start trading, and both hurt the other with massive shots. Roberson gets off a body kick, and a left hand just misses the target as Allen dances out of the way to score a right. Allen fires off several kicks to the body and legs, and he clips “Baby K” with a right and a left chained into a head kick. “All In” uses his forward momentum to clinch up, where he hits a trip and puts Roberson on his back emphatically. Allen has some damage on the corner of his right eye, but he does not appear bothered by it as he crushes Roberson down in half guard. Roberson is stuck with his neck against the fence, and Allen reaches a little too far to pursue a straight armbar or kimura. Allen nearly falls off, but he readjusts himself and steps into mount, with the so-called “Dagestani handcuff” trapping Roberson’s legs while he can wail on Roberson’s face. Allen tries to pull Roberson’s legs out as he steps over toe the side, and Roberson bursts to his feet only to quickly be thrown back down to the ground. Allen in half guard squeezes with his shoulder, and Roberson can do little but hold on tight to stop the offense from coming. Allen smothers with his top pressure even though he does not land anything of note, but he does grind his elbow on Roberson’s face.
“Baby K” bucks like a bronco into a leglock from his back, and Allen defends in the 50/50 guard with his own heel hook attempt at the same time. Roberson is suddenly in big trouble, as Allen hooks the ankle underneath his armpit. “All In” torques it with seconds to spare, and Roberson grimaces in pain and taps out so his knee and ankle do not get shredded.
That is now submission number nine for Allen, who elicits this rare and elusive ankle-based tapout in impressive fashion.

The Official Result
Brendan Allen def. Karl Roberson R1 4:55 via Submission (Ankle Lock)
BI
Big Brady Expert Hesitant picked Apr 20, 2021 (4 days before fight)
Brendan Allen

Big Brady picks Allen to win by first-round submission, but is hesitant because Allen often fails to implement his wrestling game plan. He notes Allen's striking defense is poor and he was knocked out by Strickland when he didn't wrestle. However, Roberson's weakness is takedown defense and ground game, and Allen is a good submission artist. He hopes Allen learned from his last loss.

Allen by submission in round 1
"i'm gonna say brendan allen wins by submission in the first round"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Lean picked Apr 22, 2021 (2 days before fight)
Brendan Allen

Cody leans toward Allen but is not confident, noting Allen's grappling skills and Roberson's weakness against wrestlers. He worries about Allen's cardio and tendency to stand and strike. He thinks Allen must take Roberson down early to win, and if he doesn't, he could get knocked out. He also likes the over 1.5 rounds.

Over 1.5 rounds (-145)
"if he goes in with a wrestling heavy approach grappling heavy approach he's still only 25. if he can get that cardio in check and can k take this guy down he'll have a lot of success"
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Confident picked Apr 23, 2021 (1 day before fight)
Brendan Allen

Daniel picks Brendan Allen, expecting him to take Roberson down and submit him. He notes Roberson has been choked out three times in the UFC and that Allen's striking has improved. He hopes Allen's fight IQ is on point and predicts a first-round submission.

first round submission
"i'm gonna go with brennan allen to get it done i hope that um his iq is on point saturday night because i know if it is it's gonna be a first round submission"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert Lean picked Apr 23, 2021 (1 day before fight)
Karl Roberson

I'm going the opposite way on this one. I think Roberson keeps the fight on the feet and uses his leg kicks to set up a knockout. Allen's takedown accuracy is only 37%, and Roberson has decent takedown defense. If Roberson can stuff the takedowns, he has the striking advantage. I like Roberson by KO at +335, but we need to wait for weigh-ins to see if he makes weight.

Roberson by KO +335
"i'm gonna go the opposite side i think robertson manages to keep this fight on the feet and plus 335 for roberson by k.o ooh that looks nice to me"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Hesitant picked Apr 22, 2021 (2 days before fight)
Brendan Allen

Paul picks Allen but is hesitant, citing Allen's grappling advantage and Roberson's susceptibility to takedowns. He notes Allen's cardio issues and tendency to tire if he doesn't get an early finish. He thinks Allen needs to use a wrestling-heavy approach to win, and if he stands with Roberson, he could get knocked out. He also likes the over 1.5 rounds.

Over 1.5 rounds (-145)
"i think i'm gonna go out and i think i'm looking at that over one and a half at minus 145"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Apr 16, 2021 (8 days before fight)
Brendan Allen

The MMA Guru picks Brendan Allen by second-round rear-naked choke. He notes that Allen has good submissions and has submitted Kevin Holland, while Roberson has been taken down and submitted quickly in recent fights. He expects Allen to grapple his way to a win after some stand-up exchanges.

submission in second round
"i'm going to go with brendan allen here"
LOSS vs Marvin Vettori
Submission (rear-naked choke) R1 4:17 · UFC on ESPN: Eye vs. Calvillo · Jun 13, 2020
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Marvin Vettori 0 4 of 16 25% 4 of 16 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:19
Karl Roberson 0 45 of 64 70% 60 of 79 2 of 3 66% 2 0 2:05
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Marvin Vettori 0 4 of 16 25% 4 of 16 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:19
Karl Roberson 0 45 of 64 70% 60 of 79 2 of 3 66% 2 0 2:05
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Marvin Vettori 4 of 16 25% 4 of 16 0 of 0 0 of 0 4 of 16 0 of 0 0 of 0
Karl Roberson 45 of 64 70% 45 of 64 0 of 0 0 of 0 2 of 12 0 of 0 43 of 52
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Marvin Vettori 4 of 16 25% 4 of 16 0 of 0 0 of 0 4 of 16 0 of 0 0 of 0
Karl Roberson 45 of 64 70% 45 of 64 0 of 0 0 of 0 2 of 12 0 of 0 43 of 52
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Marvin Vettori vs. Karl Roberson (190.5: Missed Weight)

Round 1
Our co-main event is the heaviest fight on the card -- 190.5 pounds to be precise -- as Roberson (9-2, 4-2 UFC) missed weight against the stark raving mad Vettori (14-4-1, 4-2-1 UFC). They were set to fight a month prior, and Roberson was hospitalized due to his weight cut, so calls for a move up to light heavyweight are sure to come for “Baby K.” Keeping tabs on this grudge match will be referee Dan Miragliotta, and unsurprisingly the two do not touch gloves and start swinging for the fences at the opening bell. The opening seconds are tense, as neither man wants to commit to anything of important or leave themselves wide open. Vettori lands a left hand to begin, and Roberson replies with a one-two that gets blocked. Vettori sticks him with a hard left, and rushes in while ducking the attack coming over the top from Roberson. Roberson whiffs a head kick after they separate, and Vettori likewise misses a right hand. Roberson attempts a hook kick but misses it as well, but manages to circle around and get the back of his opponent, where he pulls the Italian down. Roberson fishes for a choke attempt, but Vettori is able to scramble out of danger and reverse the position, where he ends up on top. Vettori is on top in half guard, while he puts his weight on the heavier fighter. Roberson sits up against the fence, allowing Vettori to set up a guillotine choke. Vettori wrenches with everything he has, and Roberson bucks him off and nearly gets out of the position. Roberson falls back into a choke, and lifts Vettori off the ground to set him down. Both men scramble wildly, and Vettori winds up on top again. Postured up on half guard, Vettori starts to rain down quick and short punches and elbows. Roberson blocks most of them, but earns a warning from Miragliotta to improve his position.
When Roberson rolls to his stomach to keep defending from the onslaught, Vettori latches on to his back and sinks in a slick rear-naked choke. The arm is beneath the chin, and Roberson is done.
When Roberson taps out, "The Italian Dream" has his dream come true, and he unleashes all of his remaining rage in a guttural scream.

The Official Result
Marvin Vettori def. Karl Roberson R1 4:17 via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke)
DA
Daniel Levi Expert Lean picked Jun 12, 2020 (1 day before fight)
Marvin Vettori

Daniel Levi leans towards Marvin Vettori, citing his improved boxing, tough chin, and well-rounded game including clinch and jiu-jitsu. He acknowledges Karl Roberson's potential, knockout threat, and improving jiu-jitsu, but believes Vettori is the better overall fighter. Levi notes the line may be inflated due to the hotel incident and considers it a dog-or-pass situation, but still favors Vettori by tough decision.

line inflated due to TMZ footage; dog-or-pass situation
"I'm gonna go with Marvin again by a tough a tough decision but man from a betting perspective I do think the lines a little a little I don't want to say disrespectful because I do think Vittorio's the better …"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Jun 8, 2020 (5 days before fight)
Marvin Vettori

The MMA Guru picks Marvin Vettori, noting that Karl Roberson botched a weight cut recently and was in critical condition, which increases Vettori's chances. He highlights Vettori's forward pressure and combination punching, while Roberson struggles moving backwards. He predicts Vettori will get a TKO finish in the third round.

Vettori wins by TKO in round 3
"Marvin vitória is gonna get the job done. I believe he's gonna keep a level head in the fight."
WIN vs Roman Kopylov
Submission (rear-naked choke) R3 4:01 · UFC Fight Night: Magomedsharipov vs. Kattar · Nov 09, 2019
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Karl Roberson 0 37 of 95 38% 38 of 96 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:02
Roman Kopylov 0 43 of 117 36% 43 of 117 1 of 3 33% 1 0 0:55
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Karl Roberson 0 12 of 28 42% 12 of 28 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Roman Kopylov 0 9 of 38 23% 9 of 38 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:06
2 Karl Roberson 0 11 of 30 36% 11 of 30 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Roman Kopylov 0 18 of 41 43% 18 of 41 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
3 Karl Roberson 0 14 of 37 37% 15 of 38 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:02
Roman Kopylov 0 16 of 38 42% 16 of 38 1 of 3 33% 1 0 0:49
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Karl Roberson 37 of 95 38% 19 of 72 15 of 20 3 of 3 37 of 95 0 of 0 0 of 0
Roman Kopylov 43 of 117 36% 14 of 77 3 of 10 26 of 30 41 of 115 2 of 2 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Karl Roberson 12 of 28 42% 5 of 17 4 of 8 3 of 3 12 of 28 0 of 0 0 of 0
Roman Kopylov 9 of 38 23% 3 of 29 1 of 4 5 of 5 8 of 37 1 of 1 0 of 0
2 Karl Roberson 11 of 30 36% 4 of 23 7 of 7 0 of 0 11 of 30 0 of 0 0 of 0
Roman Kopylov 18 of 41 43% 2 of 21 1 of 3 15 of 17 18 of 41 0 of 0 0 of 0
3 Karl Roberson 14 of 37 37% 10 of 32 4 of 5 0 of 0 14 of 37 0 of 0 0 of 0
Roman Kopylov 16 of 38 42% 9 of 27 1 of 3 6 of 8 15 of 37 1 of 1 0 of 0
Play-by-Play
View on Sherdog
Karl Roberson vs. Roman Kopylov

Round 1
Moving right along, Roberson (8-2, 3-2 UFC) welcomes undefeated knockout artist Kopylov (8-0, 0-0 UFC) to the organization in a big way at middleweight. Serving as the referee for this bout will be Vyacheslav Kiselev. A touch of gloves in sporting fashion begins the fight, and Kopylov quickly opens with a few looping punches that fall short. Roberson responds with a few that are shy of the mark as well, so Kopylov aims for a kick instead. The American presses forward and lands a low kick, so Kopylov fires with a one-two up top that makes Roberson readjust his position. Trading jabs back and forth, Roberson looks to set up a big left hand, but Kopylov keeps moving and working the body to stay away from that prospective power punch. Roberson lands a few more heavy leg kicks, and then barely misses with one up high. Roberson stalks down Kopylov, and then flips up another head kick that glances off the shoulder of his opponent. Kopylov backs off and bounces off the cage a few times to find his place in the cage, and dodges some punches that fly from Roberson. Kopylov fires a head kick up that gets blocked, but follows with a quick short left that catches Roberson right on the jaw, much to the delight of the crowd -- they have not had much to cheer for so far. As Kopylov tries to dig to the body, Roberson wings a big left hand and a body kick. The Russian plants a one-two right on the jaw of his opponent, and backs away before the counters come in his direction. Kopylov just misses with a spinning back kick, so Roberson throws up a kick that almost appears to be an axe kick, leading to a clinch and the end of this razor-close round.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Roberson
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Roberson
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Roberson

Round 2
Once more the two men touch gloves, and trade leather immediately. Both score effectively and wear it well, but it is Roberson that is advancing and pressing forward. A straight punch to the body leads to a response from Roberson in the form of a hard leg kick, and then another. Kopylov stings Roberson with a left hand, and the crowd chants for him, but Roberson scores a heavy leg kick that makes Kopylov's knee buckle slightly. One more lands and makes Kopylov duck away, so Roberson chases after him with a head kick and falls over in the process. Kopylov allows him to get up and they touch gloves, so Roberson goes to the inside of Kopylov's lead leg. Another low kick finds its home from Roberson, and by throwing another, Kopylov's movement seems slightly hampered. Kopylov sits down on a left straight, but it does not have the same pop on it after the American lands yet another hard leg kick. The continued leg kicks are bothering Kopylov, so Roberson smartly continues to pursue it. Roberson whips another leg kick and Kopylov does not check it but actually reaches for it, and grimaces as he absorbs it. "Baby K" then launches a head kick and Kopylov is barely able to block it in time, so Roberson then pursues that lead leg some more. The leg is turning into hamburger, as these leg kicks are hard and loud. Roberson turns his hips into a leg kick and Kopylov fully takes the brunt of it, causing him to limp off. Kopylov tries to fire back at him, but he cannot plant on that lead leg, so Roberson goes after it once more to end the round dramatically.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Roberson
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-9 Roberson
Mike Sloan scores the round: 10-9 Roberson

Round 3
Unsurprisingly, within five seconds of the last round, Roberson throws a low kick. Kopylov attempts to come back at him and catches Roberson coming in, but the Russian instead pursues a takedown that Roberson shucks off. Sensing he might be down on the scorecards, Kopylov turns up the pace and starts throwing big shots at Roberson, much to the delight of the home fans. Roberson stays largely out of harm's way, but shoots in for his own takedown, and cannot land it. The American backs away and digs to that lead leg again, forcing Kopylov to try to respond by throwing a looping hook that nearly makes him topple over. A striking exchange dings up the nose of Kopylov, who then absorbs an inside leg kick as Roberson jumps in and out. Kopylov stretches his left arm out and jabs his pointer finger directly into the eye of Roberson, and that is a nasty poke as Roberson falls over. That eye starts bleeding, and the doctor is taking a hard look at it. Roberson is calling for the fight to continue, and there is a lot of blood coming from a cut on the eyelid. Kiselev takes a point from Kopylov, but the action resumes. Now confident he is behind in the fight, Kopylov throws everything he has at Roberson by winging combinations with wild kicks and punches. Roberson eats some strikes but aims directly at that lead leg with a few more kicks, causing Kopylov to retreat. Roberson chases him down and clinches up, muscling the Russian to the ground.
Roberson takes his opponent's back, and immediately seeks out a rear-naked choke. He grabs hold of the neck and will not let go, wrenching it with all his might until the Russian taps out.
Roberson becomes the first man to defeat Kopylov, and does so in style in front of a crowd that sits in stunned silence. Russian fighters are now 0-4 tonight against their foreign adversaries.

The Official Result
Karl Roberson def. Roman Kopylov R3 4:01 via Submission (Rear-Naked Choke)
Decision (split) (28–29, 29–28, 29–28) R3 5:00 · UFC Fight Night: de Randamie vs. Ladd · Jul 13, 2019
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Karl Roberson 0 50 of 80 62% 79 of 113 0 of 0 --- 0 3 5:48
Wellington Turman 0 25 of 51 49% 38 of 67 4 of 7 57% 2 0 6:55
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Karl Roberson 0 23 of 38 60% 41 of 58 0 of 0 --- 0 1 3:14
Wellington Turman 0 9 of 16 56% 11 of 18 1 of 4 25% 1 0 0:57
2 Karl Roberson 0 17 of 26 65% 25 of 36 0 of 0 --- 0 1 1:54
Wellington Turman 0 8 of 21 38% 12 of 27 2 of 2 100% 0 0 2:14
3 Karl Roberson 0 10 of 16 62% 13 of 19 0 of 0 --- 0 1 0:40
Wellington Turman 0 8 of 14 57% 15 of 22 1 of 1 100% 1 0 3:44
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Karl Roberson 50 of 80 62% 35 of 64 11 of 12 4 of 4 15 of 40 8 of 8 27 of 32
Wellington Turman 25 of 51 49% 20 of 42 5 of 8 0 of 1 8 of 27 5 of 6 12 of 18
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Karl Roberson 23 of 38 60% 17 of 31 4 of 5 2 of 2 7 of 18 0 of 0 16 of 20
Wellington Turman 9 of 16 56% 8 of 15 1 of 1 0 of 0 6 of 13 0 of 0 3 of 3
2 Karl Roberson 17 of 26 65% 13 of 22 4 of 4 0 of 0 5 of 13 7 of 7 5 of 6
Wellington Turman 8 of 21 38% 5 of 16 3 of 5 0 of 0 0 of 8 5 of 6 3 of 7
3 Karl Roberson 10 of 16 62% 5 of 11 3 of 3 2 of 2 3 of 9 1 of 1 6 of 6
Wellington Turman 8 of 14 57% 7 of 11 1 of 2 0 of 1 2 of 6 0 of 0 6 of 8
LOSS vs Glover Teixeira
Submission (arm-triangle choke) R1 3:21 · UFC Fight Night: Cejudo vs. Dillashaw · Jan 19, 2019
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Glover Teixeira 0 6 of 11 54% 20 of 26 1 of 3 33% 1 0 1:46
Karl Roberson 1 24 of 30 80% 29 of 35 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:41
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Glover Teixeira 0 6 of 11 54% 20 of 26 1 of 3 33% 1 0 1:46
Karl Roberson 1 24 of 30 80% 29 of 35 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:41
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Glover Teixeira 6 of 11 54% 6 of 11 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 3 0 of 0 6 of 8
Karl Roberson 24 of 30 80% 22 of 28 2 of 2 0 of 0 1 of 3 6 of 6 17 of 21
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Glover Teixeira 6 of 11 54% 6 of 11 0 of 0 0 of 0 0 of 3 0 of 0 6 of 8
Karl Roberson 24 of 30 80% 22 of 28 2 of 2 0 of 0 1 of 3 6 of 6 17 of 21
WIN vs Jack Marshman
Decision (unanimous) (30–26, 30–26, 30–27) R3 5:00 · UFC 230: Cormier vs. Lewis · Nov 03, 2018
Totals
FighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
Karl Roberson 0 34 of 71 47% 90 of 135 2 of 3 66% 0 0 5:06
Jack Marshman 0 21 of 98 21% 30 of 108 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Per Round
RdFighterKDSig. Str.Sig. Str. % Total Str.TDTD % Sub. AttRev.Ctrl
1 Karl Roberson 0 15 of 32 46% 15 of 32 0 of 1 0% 0 0 0:18
Jack Marshman 0 13 of 52 25% 16 of 55 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
2 Karl Roberson 0 8 of 20 40% 35 of 51 1 of 1 100% 0 0 2:15
Jack Marshman 0 8 of 31 25% 10 of 33 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
3 Karl Roberson 0 11 of 19 57% 40 of 52 1 of 1 100% 0 0 2:33
Jack Marshman 0 0 of 15 0% 4 of 20 0 of 0 --- 0 0 0:00
Significant Strikes
FighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
Karl Roberson 34 of 71 47% 24 of 58 6 of 8 4 of 5 24 of 57 5 of 7 5 of 7
Jack Marshman 21 of 98 21% 12 of 80 3 of 5 6 of 13 19 of 95 2 of 3 0 of 0
Significant Strikes Per Round
RdFighterSig. Str.Sig. Str. % HeadBodyLeg DistanceClinchGround
1 Karl Roberson 15 of 32 46% 6 of 23 6 of 6 3 of 3 10 of 25 5 of 7 0 of 0
Jack Marshman 13 of 52 25% 8 of 42 2 of 2 3 of 8 11 of 50 2 of 2 0 of 0
2 Karl Roberson 8 of 20 40% 8 of 18 0 of 2 0 of 0 7 of 19 0 of 0 1 of 1
Jack Marshman 8 of 31 25% 4 of 25 1 of 3 3 of 3 8 of 30 0 of 1 0 of 0
3 Karl Roberson 11 of 19 57% 10 of 17 0 of 0 1 of 2 7 of 13 0 of 0 4 of 6
Jack Marshman 0 of 15 0% 0 of 13 0 of 0 0 of 2 0 of 15 0 of 0 0 of 0
Expert Picks (6)
AN
Angelo Bodetti Expert Hesitant picked Jul 3, 2022 (6 days before fight)
Karl Roberson

Angelo picks Karl Roberson despite Kennedy Nzechukwu's power and reach. He notes Roberson is the better all-around fighter with solid game planning and takedowns against strikers. He worries about Roberson's knockout loss to Khalil Rountree but believes Roberson's clean technique and solid game planning will get it done. He acknowledges Kennedy will be dangerous the entire 15 minutes.

"I think roberson gets it done with clean technique and solid game planning."
BI
Big Brady Expert Hesitant picked Jul 5, 2022 (4 days before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

Big Brady picks Kennedy Nzechukwu primarily due to his significant size advantage (4-inch height, 9-inch reach) and superior cardio. He notes that Kennedy is still green and inconsistent, but Karl Roberson's low output, inconsistency, and three-fight skid make him hard to trust. Brady acknowledges that Roberson is more skilled but believes Kennedy's physical attributes and cardio will allow him to do more over three rounds. He expresses low confidence, calling it a borderline '100 gambler fight' and says he won't bet it.

"if i had to make a pick give me kennedy for the size for the cardio for the physical attributes but i don't know if the skills there"
CO
Cody Saftic Expert Lean picked Jul 6, 2022 (3 days before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

Cody picks Nzechukwu but with low confidence. He notes Nzechukwu has a huge reach advantage but doesn't use it well, and his fights are often sloppy. He thinks Roberson has better kickboxing but terrible ring IQ. He sees this as a low-level fight where either could win.

Mentions Nzechukwu over 47.5 significant strikes on PrizePicks.
"i'll take kennedy and jukwu as my pick will not be betting that whatsoever i think over 47 and a half significant strikes for him is very low though"
MM
MMA Lock of the Night Expert picked Jul 9, 2022 (fight day)
No clear pick

The host discusses this fight but does not place a bet. He acknowledges that Roberson is technically the better striker and could win if he grapples, but he does not trust Roberson's fight IQ. He mentions that Roberson could win by decision or submission but ultimately does not pull the trigger.

"I like Roberson tonight ... if he grapples he is technically the better Striker so if he just LED kicks his way to Victory that's absolutely possible I'm just not trusting you man his only qualm is his fight IQ"
PA
Paul Shaughnessy Expert Lean picked Jul 6, 2022 (3 days before fight)
Karl Roberson

Paul picks Roberson as a dog, noting his striking is more refined and he has better kickboxing. He thinks Roberson's durability could hold up and he might mix in takedowns. However, he's not confident due to Roberson's poor decision-making.

"i would say if carl robertson's gonna be able to get to the money i think he's a little more refined i need his durability to stand out to hold up a little bit and then you know mix in a couple takedowns if can be"
TH
The MMA Guru Expert Confident picked Jul 4, 2022 (5 days before fight)
Kennedy Nzechukwu

The Guru picks Kennedy Nzechukwu due to his massive size and reach advantage (9-inch reach). He believes Nzechukwu should have won his last fight and that Roberson lacks power at range. He worries about Nzechukwu's chin but notes Roberson doesn't take punches well either. He predicts a 29-28 decision win at range.

29-28 decision
"I'm going to be going with Kennedy Nzechukwu here, way bigger, way longer."