Light Heavyweights
Kennedy Nzechukwu (9-3, 3-3 UFC) vs. Karl Roberson (9-5, 4-5 UFC)At 6-foot-5, Nzechukwu cuts an impressive figure, but he was still particularly raw upon hitting the UFC, even after two appearances on Dana White’s Contender Series. Nzechukwu is technically sound enough at this point, especially given his physical gifts, but he has been held back by his inability to find a second gear. A three-fight winning streak saw him draw opponents like Carlos Ulberg and Danilo Marques, who each burned themselves out while Nzechukwu survived on his way to a late comeback. However, two straight losses have shown the flaws in that approach. Da Un Jung simply finished Nzechukwu before he even got the chance to rally, while Nicolae Negumereanu never flagged to let Nzechukwu back into the fight. At about the six-year mark as a pro, this seems like the time where things would finally click for Nzechukwu. Roberson is in a similar spot as a fighter who essentially learned on the job in the UFC, though “Baby K” dabbled in kickboxing to go along with his brief mixed martial arts record before getting signed. Despite that background, Roberson is rarely all that dynamic on the feet. He is a consistent striker who, if anything, prefers to take things to the mat more than he should, often getting himself in trouble. The end result is a jack-of-all-trades package in which Roberson really depends on having an advantage everywhere in order to have success. He can get undone against opponents who can either match him athletically or just take him apart in one phase of the fight. That makes this a coin toss, as Nzechukwu certainly has the tools to make things happen but not the disposition. If things finally come together for Nzechukwu, he can make his opponent uncomfortable and turn this into some easy work. However, based on Nzechukwu’s prior fights, this feels more like a lukewarm striking match in which Roberson can try some ideas but never find himself particularly challenged. The pick is Roberson via decision.
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Calvillo vs. Nunes
Turcios vs. Zahabi
Shevchenko vs. Casey
Gore vs. Brundage
Nzechukwu vs. Roberson
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