Kennedy Nzechukwu vs Shamil Gaziev
Age
34|36
Height
6'5"|6'4"
Reach
83"|78"
Stance
Southpaw|Orthodox
Career Statistics
| Statistic | Kennedy Nzechukwu | Shamil Gaziev | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Striking | |||
| Sig. Strike Accuracy | 49.6% | 45.3% | — |
| Sig. Strikes Landed/min | 4.7 | 3.0 | ◄ |
| Sig. Strikes Absorbed/min | 4.5 | 5.1 | — |
| Strike Differential | 0.2/min | -2.1/min | ◄ |
| Grappling | |||
| Takedown Accuracy | 45.5% | 33.3% | ◄ |
| Takedown Defense | 80.8% | 83.3% | — |
| Takedowns Landed/15min | 0.6 | 1.1 | — |
| Submission Attempts/15min | 0.2 | 0.0 | — |
| Control Time/15min | 2:40 | 6:03 | ► |
| Finishing Ability | |||
| KO/TKO % of Wins | 75.0% | 75.0% | — |
| Submission % of Wins | 12.5% | 0.0% | — |
| Decision % of Wins | 12.5% | 25.0% | — |
| Avg Fight Time | 8:25 | 7:56 | — |
| Secondary Stats | |||
| Knockdowns/15min | 0.3 | 0.5 | — |
| Reversals/15min | 0.0 | 0.0 | — |
| Edges | 3 | 1 | 5 even |
Fight Dynamics
Career Striking Volume
Kennedy Nzechukwu
Shamil Gaziev
League median
| Statistic | Kennedy Nzechukwu | Shamil Gaziev | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fight Shape | |||
| Fight Completion Rate | 56.2% | 48.3% | — |
| Avg Fight Time | 8:25 | 7:56 | — |
| % Fights Inside the Distance | 75.0% | 85.7% | — |
| Strength of UFC Schedule | |||
| Opponent UFC Win % (all) | 51.9% | 65.4% | ▶ |
| Opponent UFC Record (all) | 55-51 (51.9%) | 34-18 (65.4%) | — |
| Opponent Record (among wins) | 23-26 (46.9%) | 17-11 (60.7%) | — |
| Positional Profile | |||
| % Time at Distance (approx.) | 62.2% | 58.5% | — |
| % Time in Control | 17.8% | 40.3% | ▶ |
| % Time Controlled | 20.0% | 1.1% | ▶ |
| Control Rate of Clinch/Ground Time | 47.1% | 97.3% | ▶ |
| Distance Striking | |||
| Distance Sig. Landed / Min | 5.69 | 3.66 | ◀ |
| Distance Sig. Absorbed / Min | 5.96 | 8.21 | ◀ |
| Distance Striking Differential / Min | -0.26 | -4.55 | ◀ |
| Distance Strike Accuracy | 44.1% | 39.7% | — |
| Distance Strike Defense | 54.0% | 44.9% | ◀ |
| Power & Pressure | |||
| KDs per 100 Power Strikes | 0.55 | 1.35 | ▶ |
| Knocked Down per 100 Absorbed | 0.87 | 1.27 | ◀ |
| TD Attempts per 5 Distance Min | 0.66 | 1.84 | — |
| TDs Faced per 5 Distance Min | 4.55 | 0.92 | — |
| Fade Index (R3 / R1 pace) | 1.71 | — | — |
UFC fights only. Metrics with insufficient data show "—" and award no edge.
Methodology →
Last 5 Fights (Averages)
| Statistic | Kennedy Nzechukwu | Shamil Gaziev | Edge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sig. Strike Accuracy | 53.8% | 47.5% | — |
| Sig. Strikes Landed/min | 4.0 | 3.2 | ◄ |
| Sig. Strikes Absorbed/min | 2.9 | 5.0 | ◄ |
| Takedown Accuracy | 0.0% | 60.0% | ► |
| Takedown Defense | 77.8% | 66.7% | ◄ |
| Control Time/Fight | 0:44 | 3:07 | ► |
| Edges | 3 | 2 | 1 even |
Last 3 Fights
Kennedy Nzechukwu
LOSS
vs. Shamil Gaziev
UFC Fight Night: Hernandez vs. Rodrigues • Aug 2026Heavyweight
Kennedy Nzechukwu3/743%TD 0/0Ctrl 0:00
Shamil Gaziev2/540%TD 0/0Ctrl 0:00KD 1
D
vs. Marcus Buchecha
UFC Fight Night: Royval vs. Kape • Dec 2025Heavyweight
Kennedy Nzechukwu24/4850%TD 0/0Ctrl 3:37
Marcus Buchecha27/4461%TD 3/13Ctrl 6:20
LOSS
vs. Valter Walker
UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Teixeira • Jul 2025Heavyweight
Kennedy Nzechukwu0/0—TD 0/0Ctrl 0:03
Valter Walker4/1136%TD 1/2Ctrl 0:28
Shamil Gaziev
WIN
vs. Kennedy Nzechukwu
UFC Fight Night: Hernandez vs. Rodrigues • Aug 2026Heavyweight
Shamil Gaziev2/540%TD 0/0Ctrl 0:00KD 1
Kennedy Nzechukwu3/743%TD 0/0Ctrl 0:00
LOSS
vs. Brando Pericic
UFC Fight Night: Della Maddalena vs. Prates • May 2026Heavyweight
Shamil Gaziev41/10041%TD 1/2Ctrl 3:36
Brando Pericic89/16355%TD 0/0Ctrl 0:00KD 1
LOSS
vs. Waldo Cortes Acosta
UFC Fight Night: Tsarukyan vs. Hooker • Nov 2025Heavyweight
Shamil Gaziev6/1540%TD 0/0Ctrl 0:00
Waldo Cortes Acosta10/2148%TD 0/0Ctrl 0:08KD 2
Common Opponents
No Common Opponents
Analysis Summary
Striking Volume: Kennedy Nzechukwu is the busier striker, landing 4.7 significant strikes per minute vs 3.0. Their opponent absorbs 5.1 strikes per minute on average — Kennedy Nzechukwu's output should find a target.
Grappling: Kennedy Nzechukwu shoots at 45% accuracy but Shamil Gaziev stops 83% of attempts — the takedown path looks difficult. Shamil Gaziev shoots at 33% accuracy against Kennedy Nzechukwu's 81% defense — Kennedy Nzechukwu should keep it standing.
Control: Shamil Gaziev controls 3:12 per fight on average vs 1:30 — sustained control shifts rounds and drains cardio.
Finish Threat: Kennedy Nzechukwu finishes 88% of wins (75% KO/TKO, 12% sub). Shamil Gaziev finishes 75% of wins (75% KO/TKO, 0% sub).