A compelling clash of styles at UFC Vegas 112 on Saturday night saw Kennedy Nzechukwu and Marcus “Buchecha” Almeida compete to a draw in a heavyweight match that highlighted the ongoing difficulty of translating elite Brazilian jiu-jitsu success into mixed martial arts results.
Nzechukwu entered the contest aiming to regain momentum after a July submission setback against Valter Walker and viewed the matchup as a pivotal moment in his heavyweight run. Almeida stepped into the cage for his second UFC appearance and was also looking to rebound from a July loss. The decorated jiu-jitsu standout previously posted a 5–1 record under the ONE Championship banner before joining the UFC and brought credentials that include 13 IBJJF World Championship titles and two ADCC world championships.
The opening round set the tone for the match. Almeida immediately chased takedowns after landing a body kick and while Nzechukwu initially defended well from his heavy lead-leg stance the bjj specialist soon forced the action to the mat. From there Almeida showcased his elite grappling base by repeatedly taking Nzechukwu’s back threatening a kneebar and eventually locking in a body triangle.
When Nzechukwu worked back to his feet and clinched Almeida against the fence a knee landed below the belt which prompted referee Herb Dean to pause the match. After the restart Almeida continued pressing for grappling exchanges but briefly found himself underneath. He scrambled back to his feet and connected with a clean right hand before Nzechukwu responded with a sharp combination that dropped Almeida to the canvas as the horn sounded.
The second round opened with controversy. Seconds in Almeida fell to the mat indicating an eye injury. Dean halted the action and replays showed Nzechukwu advancing with open hands and extended fingers as Almeida stepped into range resulting in a clear eye poke. Dean deducted a point from Nzechukwu before restarting the match.
Buchecha gets poked in the brain #UFCVegas112 pic.twitter.com/uVZS8Jr5qF
— Blood In The Eye MMA (@Blood_InThe_Eye) December 14, 2025
Nzechukwu landed a heavy left hand soon after but Almeida countered with an overhand right and secured another takedown. Nzechukwu returned to his feet while Almeida remained grounded inviting further grappling exchanges before being instructed to stand by Dean. Moments later Almeida surged forward with another takedown and quickly transitioned to back control.
Almeida advanced to side control and delivered a series of elbows and right hands as Nzechukwu covered up. In the closing moments Almeida isolated an arm and attempted an armbar working to extend Nzechukwu’s right arm but time expired before he could complete the submission.
The final round opened with Almeida diving for yet another takedown. Although Nzechukwu initially defended Almeida stayed attached dragged him down and laced Nzechukwu’s left leg while defending return elbows. Nzechukwu attempted to move to mount but Almeida sensed the shift and slipped around to maintain back control.
Nzechukwu continued landing elbows over his shoulder as he worked back to his feet with Almeida still attached. When Almeida disengaged and squared up another takedown attempt ended with the bjj specialist underneath absorbing heavy ground strikes from the larger heavyweight. Almeida inverted to chase a kneebar but the position was not correct for a finish. The round closed with Nzechukwu landing elbows from top position.
The earlier point deduction proved decisive as all three judges scored the match 28–28 resulting in a draw. The outcome sparked immediate discussion online regarding Almeida’s transition to mixed martial arts with many questioning how a competitor with such elite grappling credentials was unable to secure a submission despite long stretches of positional control.
The draw leaves both competitors searching for answers as their heavyweight campaigns continue with uncertainty surrounding their next steps in the division.
