Two experienced finishers clash on the main card of UFC on ESPN: Sandhagen vs. Font at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. American Dustin Jacoby can’t buy a win after going nine undefeated, dropping his last two. Kennedy Nzechukwu from Nigeria is riding a three-fight streak that has seen him vaulted into the top fifteen of the division. Both fighters are graduates of the DWCS.
MMA: UFC Light Heavyweight
Venue: Bridgestone Arena, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
Where to watch: ESPN/ESPN+
Date: 6.08.2023. 05.30
Dustin Jacoby
Dustin Jacoby had been on a tear in the UFC since his return in 2020. The 34-year-old fighter had been undefeated in nine of his first fights in the division, with the only blemish being a draw with Ion Cutelaba in 2021. Jacoby has dropped two fights following his first-round finish against Jung Da-un in July 2022. The number fourteen-ranked Light Heavyweight is a former Kickboxer and first appeared in the UFC in 2011 but was released after two consecutive losses. He went on to compete in Bellator, World Series of Fighting, and Titan FC, leading to him headlining the DWCS Contender Series 27. He followed his Contender Series win with nine consecutive fights without losing. Dustin Jacoby dropped his last two fights against Khalil Rountree Jr. and Azamat Murzakanov, both fighters above him in the ranking.
Tale of the Tape
- Age: 35
- Height: 6’ 6”
- Reach: 78”
- Record: 18-7-1
Kennedy Nzechukwu
Kennedy Nzechukwu is a Nigerian mixed martial artist quickly making a name for himself in the UFC. The 31-year-old fighter moved to the United States with his family in 2010, and he began training in mixed martial arts a few years later. Nzechukwu made his UFC debut in 2019, following an impressive first-round TKO win on the DWCS 16 a year earlier. “The African Savage” lost the debut to Paul Craig by submission. Kennedy Nzechukwu bounced back with three consecutive wins, including Performance of the Night and Fight of the Night bonus awards. The 31-year-old is currently on his second three-fight winning streak in the promotion. Last year, Nzechukwu finished two fights against Ion Cuțelaba and Karl Roberson by TKO. He followed that up with a Technical Submission of Devin Clarke in May. Nzechukwu is a powerful striker and a skilled grappler, and he has shown that he can finish fights on the feet and the ground.
Tale of the Tape
- Age: 31
- Height: 6’ 5”
- Reach: 83”
- Record: 12-3
Betting Odds
Dustin Jacoby is the underdog, with the sportsbooks priced at a 2.25 to win on Bet365. A bet for the favorite, Kennedy Nzechukwu, is priced at 1.66 odds. 1XBET has over 2.5 at 1.85 odds, with the under available at 1.9. On Marathonbet, under 1.5 is 2.31 odds, and the over is 1.60.