Verdict's Sleeper Fight of the Week: Nzechukwu vs. Barnett

This Saturday, the UFC heads to the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi to host a stellar pay-per-view card. The entire card is full of intriguing matchups, ranked fighters and rising stars. Although the main card is outstanding, there are many excellent fights in the prelims. The most interesting of these matchups might be Kennedy Nzechukwu versus Chris Barnett, two opponents with an eight-inch difference in height and reach.

This fight takes place at heavyweight (265 lbs.).

Kennedy Nzechukwu has a professional record of 12-5-0 and has won three of his last five fights. He has UFC victories 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 victories over Gian Villante and Jake Collier.

Kennedy Nzechukwu hits Ion Cutelaba with a brutal knee to the head. Photo credit: Zuffa LLC.

Nzechukwu possesses tremendous strength in both hands and loves hanging in the pocket and throwing heavy hooks. At 6'3″ tall, he is a formidable fighter and always seems to have a significant reach advantage. Despite his size, he typically doesn't spend much time at range, preferring to keep his hands in his pocket. Nzechukwu prefers power over volume and is constantly looking to close the distance and land a knockout punch. He trains at Fortis MMA, is exceptionally resilient and has overcome some very difficult situations, both on the 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 improves as the fight goes on.

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

Barnett is a wild, exciting striker with a varied shooting game and surprising explosiveness. He has solid footwork and head movement, but is always willing to close the distance and brawl in the pocket. When training at the Hardcore Gym, he constantly sprints forward to either fire quick, precise punches or execute long combinations, often lowering his head before executing hooks and overhand punches. A 3rd Dan black belt in Taekwondo, Barnett can deliver impressive, flashy kicks and even secured a spinning wheel kick KO in his second UFC appearance. Although he has yet to attempt a takedown in his promotional career, he has experience in judo and wrestling and is a skilled grappler. He has solid cardio training and is comfortable in any type of fight, whether it's a slower, more technical fight or a wild brawl.