Kennedy Nzechukwu Battles Back to Earn TKO win at UFC 259
There are three title fights going down at UFC 259 this Saturday, March 6.
The main event is when two champions will collide as the middleweight king Israel Adesanya challenges the light-heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The reigning women’s bantamweight and featherweight champion Amanda Nunes welcomes Australia’s Megan Anderson in the co-main event.
Bantamweight title holder Petr Yan makes his first defence against the surging Aljamain Sterling in the first championship bout of the evening.
Carlos Ulberg (3-0) walks out for his UFC debut and fourth professional MMA fight and will be better known locally as a model and contestant on the ‘Game of Bros’ reality series in New Zealand, but he is an interesting prospect. He trains with one of the best teams in the world at City Kickboxing with the champions Israel Adesanya and Alexander Volkanovski and he enters the UFC from a successful kickboxing background and King of the Ring winner.
Kennedy Nzechukwu (7-1) emerges for the first time in 19 months after he picked up his first win in the UFC against Serbian Darko Stošić. After six impressive wins including two on the Contender Series – a split decision win over Anton Berzin (2017) and a head kick TKO over Dennis Bryant (2018) he got his shot in the UFC but was matched with top 15 contender Paul Craig but ultimately became another victim of his triangle choke to suffer the first loss of his career.
Here is how the fight went between the pair of rising prospects:
ROUND 1:
Herb Dean the man in charge. Both men show respect and touch gloves. Ulberg opens up early with the kicks, Ulberg lands a high kick that seems to momentarily rock Nzechukwu- Ulberg pours ok the pressure against the cage and lands combinations. Ulberg remains calm and composed and backs away. Nzechukwu still yet to throw a strike. Ulberg opening up with his kicks and landing. Nzechukwu lands his first strike two minutes in. The speed of Ulberg seems to be troubling Nzechukwu. Ulberg lands a solid right hand. Nzechukwu starting to land his strikes now. Ulberg has his mouth wide open, seemingly to slow down. Ulberg lands a beautiful counter and now has Nzechukwu it on against the cage and pouring on the pressure. “Do something” says Herb Dean. Nzechukwu Immediately comes back with two solid left hands and is clipping Ulberg at the end of the round! Ulberg is fatiguing bad. The round comes to the end, Ulberg taking some real deep breathes.
MyMMANews.com scores it: 10-9 to Carlos Ulberg
ROUND 2:
Round two. Ulberg opens up with the kicks – body, leg mixing it up well. A spinning back fist just graces the guard of Nzechukwu. A two punch combination lands from Nzechukwu. Ulberg returns with a nasty body kick. Ulberg accidentally puts his thumb in the eye of Nzechukwu. Nzechukwu takes little time to rest and the fight is back underway. Both men are fighting in the phone booth. A inside low kick from Ulberg lands clean. Both men go up against the cage and they trade punches. Nzechukwu lands a a HUGE right hand and it drops Ulberg bad! Nzechukwu follows up with a few punches and Ulberg eyes roll back and forces Herb Dean to STOP the fight!
Official Result: Kennedy Nzechukwu defeats Carlos Ulberg by TKO at 3:19 in Round 2.
