…Kennedy Nzechukwu’s point deduction hurt winning chance
Nigerian UFC heavyweight contender Kennedy Nzechukwu fought to a decision draw against Brazilian Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida at UFC Vegas 112: Royval vs. Kape, held at the UFC Apex on Saturday night (Sunday morning, Nigerian time).
Coming off a first-round submission loss to Valter Walker in July, Nzechukwu was eager to return to winning ways but faced stern resistance from Almeida, who was also looking to bounce back from a decision defeat to Martin Buday in the same month.
Both fighters pushed the pace throughout the three-round contest but could not be separated after 15 minutes of action, as all three judges scored the bout 28–28. Nzechukwu’s chances of securing victory were hampered by a point deduction for an eye poke.
Statistically, Nzechukwu landed 58 of 87 strikes, compared to Almeida’s 47 of 66. Of those, 24 were significant strikes for the Nigerian, while Almeida connected with 27 significant strikes.
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Nzechukwu had a golden opportunity to finish the fight but opted not to press for the stoppage, allowing Almeida the chance to return to his feet. The Brazilian appeared visibly swollen at the end of the bout, while Nzechukwu emerged largely unscathed.
Almeida managed three takedowns from 13 attempts, but neither fighter recorded a knockdown or threatened with a submission.
Despite the final result, fans have slammed the judges for scoring the fight a draw, insinuating that the fight should have gone to the 33-year-old Nigerian.
Nzechukwu will be hoping for a stronger 2026 after failing to register a win in the outgoing year, losing both fights he was scheduled for. His last victory remains a TKO win over Łukasz Brzeski in December 2024.
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