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Verdict’s sleeper fight of the week: Nzechukwu vs. Barnett

Vaseline October 26, 2024

This Saturday, the UFC heads to the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi to host an excellent pay-per-view card. The entire card is filled with fascinating matchups, ranked fighters and rising stars. While the main card is excellent, there are plenty of excellent fights during the preliminaries. Perhaps the most interesting of these matchups is Kennedy Nzechukwu versus Chris Barnett, two opponents with an eight-inch difference in height and reach.

This fight will take place in the heavyweight division (265 lbs.).

Kennedy Nzechukwu has a professional record of 12-5-0 and has won three of his last five fights. He has UFC wins over Carlos Ulberg, Ion Cutelaba and Devin Clark.

Chris Barnett has a professional record of 23-8-0 and has won three of his last five fights. He has UFC wins over Gian Villante and Jake Collier.

Kennedy Nzechukwu shoots Ion Cutelaba with a brutal knee to the head. Credit: Zuffa LLC.

Nzechukwu has great power in both hands and likes to hang in the pocket and throw heavy hooks. He’s a huge fighter at 6-foot-1 and seemingly always has a significant reach advantage. Despite his height, he usually doesn’t spend much time at a distance, preferring to keep his hands in the pocket. Nzechukwu prefers power over volume, constantly looking to close the distance and deliver a knockout blow. He trains at Fortis MMA, is exceptionally durable and has gotten himself out of some very difficult situations, both on his feet and on the ground. With seven of his nine finishes coming in Round 2 or later, he can be a bit of a slow starter, but he improves as the fight continues.

Chris Barnett drops Gian Villante with a spinning wheel kick. Credit: MMA Junkie.

Barnett is a wild, exciting striker with a diverse kicking game and surprising explosiveness. He has solid footwork and head movement, but is always willing to go the distance and fight in the pocket. While training at Hardcore Gym, he constantly rushes forward to deliver quick, accurate shots or long combinations, often ducking his head before unleashing hooks and overhands. Barnett is a 3rd dan black belt in Taekwondo and can fire impressive, flashy kicks, even earning a spin-wheel kick KO in his second UFC appearance. Although he did not attempt an elimination during his promotional period, he has a background in judo and wrestling and is a skilled wrestler. He has solid cardio and is comfortable in any type of fight, whether it’s a slower, more technical fight or a wild brawl.