Choi Doo-ho vs. Kyle Nelson Prediction: We will get a second round

After a break of three years, Korean blockbuster fighter returns to the octagon to fight Canadian Kyle Nelson in what is the Korean’s UFC Apex bow. The two fighters come into the contest on the back of a string of losses. While Choi Doo-ho has a three match losing skid, Kyle Nelson has lost his last two fights. Choi Doo-ho is also seeking to re-enter the rankings after seeing his rise in the UFC derailed by tough losses. The Featherweight bout is on the main card of the UFC Fight Night: Derrick Lewis vs. Sergey Spivak taking place at the UFC Apex this weekend in Las Vegas, Nevada. 

Going into the contest, Choi Doo-ho has expressed confidence that his three year layoff had afforded him the opportunity to improve on his game by adding skills to his spirit. The Korean striker last fought in December 2019 when he lost to Charles Jourdain in his home country in a contest that was awarded Fight of the Night. His last three fights have all been awarded Fight of the Night, including his 2016 loss to Cub Swanson which was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame’s Fight Wing in 2022. He debuted in the UFC in November 2016 and is 3-3 in the promotion.

The Canadian, a former Elite 1 MMA Featherweight champion joined the UFC in 2018, losing his first two fights in the promotion. Picking up a victory on his third tilt, Kyle Nelson has found the going tough in the UFC posting only one win in five. His last Featherweight fight was in September 2022 when he was knocked out by Billy Quanrantillo in the third round. Last June Kyle Nelson lost to Jai Herbert via decision on a Lightweight bout. 

Choi Doo-ho is a blockbuster all-action fighter who gets the audience on their feet wherever he fights. His style has won him several accolades and bonus awards. Doo-ho had attributed his loss to Jourdain to a broken arm which he believes has healed. He has also said that he has worked in his defense during his time out, a part of his game he feels was his weak point. Against Kyle Nelson, Choi Doo-ho has been installed as the bookmakers’ favorite in spite of a long hiatus. All the same, Kyle Nelson will be fighting for his UFC contract here and such opponents are tricky, if not dangerous. Expect the Korean to win here and probably by TKO, but the first round will be somewhat muted as Doo-ho feels out the Apex. I go for over 1.5 rounds because Kyle Nelson will survive the initial onslaught. 

• Over 1.5 rounds at 1.65 odds on 1xbet
• Over 1.5 rounds at 1.65 on Coinplay
• Choi Doo-ho to win at 1.57 odds on Bet 365