The UFC Vegas 112 Main Card continues to roll from the UFC Apex as we'll see another tilt in the Heavyweight Division highlight our action. Nigeria's Kennedy Nzechukwu will take on Brazil's Marcus Buchecha in one of the more intriguing fights of the night. Check our UFC odds series for the Nzechukwu-Buchecha prediction and pick.
Kennedy Nzechukwu (14-6) has gone 8-6 inside the UFC since 2019. After posting back-to-back wins in the first round via knockout, Nzechukwu dropped his most recent fight at the hands of Valter Walker. He'll look to bounce back as the slight betting favorite here. Nzechukwu stands 6-foot-5 with an 83-inch reach.
Marcus Buchecha (5-2) makes his second walk to the UFC octagon following a debut loss to Martin Buday. The multiple-time world Jiu Jitsu champion got a rude awakening to the world's biggest fight promotion, but he's bound to return improved and ready for his first win. Buchecha stands 6-foot-2 with a 77.5-inch reach.
Here are the UFC Vegas 112 Odds, courtesy of DraftKings.
UFC Vegas 112 Odds: Kennedy Nzechukwu-Marcus Buchecha Odds
Kennedy Nzechukwu: -130
Marcus Buchecha: +110
Over 1.5 rounds: -125
Under 1.5 rounds: -105
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Why Kennedy Nzechukwu Will Win
- Last Fight: (L) Valter Walker – SUB (heel hook, R1)
- Last 5: 2-3
- Finishes: 10 KO/TKO, 1 SUB
After posting back-to-back knockouts in the first round over Chris Barnett and Lukasz Brzeski, Kennedy Nzechukwu fell into an unfortunate trap with the signature heel hook of Valter Walker. It was a technique Walker had been training for quite some time and Nzechukwu put his leg in the wrong place when trying to scramble with his opponent. He'll be dealing with another lethal submission artist in this one, so Nzechukwu's grappling defense will be foremost on his areas of focus ahead of this fight.
In terms of the striking, there aren't many heavyweights than can match the height and reach of Nzechukwu, nevertheless stand with him and defend his rangy strikes. Nzechukwu is also extremely active with his kicks to all three levels, so expect them to be a common theme against an inexperienced kickboxer like Buchecha.
Nzechukwu's 80% takedown defense will have to serve him well during this fight and if he finds himself in the clinch while defending shots, he should look to land knees up the middle and damage Buchecha's body. We've seen his opponent struggle with cardio in the past, so softening the midsection would work wonders in opening up other areas for Nzechukwu to exploit.
Why Marcus Buchecha Will Win
- Last Fight: (L) Martin Buday – U DEC
- Last 5: 3-2
- Finishes: 1 KO/TKO, 14 SUB
Marcus Buchecha may have been in over his head trying to grapple with a behemoth like Martin Buday during his last fight, quickly learning that there are several levels of separation between the competition at ONE and the fighters in the UFC. While Buchecha is arguably one of the best grapplers to ever live, he'll need to transition those skills into an MMA setting more effectively, and that begins with improving his striking.
Marcus Buchecha will need to tighten hi striking combinations and become more fluid with his lateral movement if he wants to have a chance during this fight. He'll need to use the threat of the level chance to drop his opponent's hands. From there, Buchecha will have to be much quicker with his hand speed while also slipping out of Nzechukwu's long range.
All in all, if Buchecha can hold his own on the feet and somehow force this fight to the ground, he should be able to out-muscle his opponent and eventually find submission opportunities on the ground. Otherwise, he'll have to defend himself effectively if Nzechukwu ends up reversing the position.
Final Kennedy Nzechukwu-Marcus Buchecha Prediction & Pick
This fight is extremely interesting from a stylistic point of view, Nzechukwu the far more skilled kickboxer up against Marcus Buchecha and his world-class Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. If Nzechukwu can keep this fight on the feet, it'll be his bout to lose as Buchecha is still levels below him in the striking department.
However, this fight will become much more interesting if Buchecha is able to force Nzechukwu into a compromised spot on the ground. Martin Buday was too big for him to maneuver during the last fight, but Nzechukwu's frame could be much more conducive to success on the ground.
For our final prediction, we'll have to roll with Kennedy Nzechukwu to get the job done with his superior striking. He's strong enough defensively to stay out of bad spots on the ground and I think Buchecha will eat a ton of clean strikes in trying to bring Nzechukwu to the ground.
Final Kennedy Nzechukwu-Marcus Buchecha Prediction & Pick: Kennedy Nzechukwu (-130); OVER 1.5 Rounds (-125)
