Bantamweight, Cody Chovancek (8-0) vs. Raphael Uchegbu (10-1)
Notable Notes
- 50% of Uchegbu’s wins come by losing records
- Uchegbu went 2-1 between PFL and Bellator
- Uchegbu has two five-round finishes
- Both have won via KO/TKO, submission, and decision
- Chovancek is 3-0 to the decision
Cody Chovancek
-Good clinch knees
-Dangerous in the pocket
-Deceptive power
-Clean combinations
-Good wrestling
-Active ground and pound
-Durable
-Plodding footwork
-Lack of pressure
-Advances in straight lines
-Lack of grappling control/Jiu-Jitsu
Chovancek probably shouldn’t even be in this spot—he missed weight in his last fight, and I thought he clearly lost it. He’s got real finishing ability, but if the stoppage doesn’t come, he operates on razor-thin margins. His volume is low, and he often spends too much time waiting. Much of his offense comes in returns or short bursts.
Stylistically, Chovancek brings a Muay Thai approach to MMA. He’s composed, patient, and selective with his shots, most comfortable working in mid-to-close range where he can use the Thai plum, dirty boxing, and short-pocket exchanges to showcase his power. His upright stance and limited footwork hurt him at range, making him less effective against opponents with good lateral movement and counters.
His bursts carry over to the wrestling as well. He times entries well—shooting off lapses, blasting through takedowns, circling to the back, and hitting mat returns. But the issue is what comes after. His wrestling tends to stall out because he struggles to control opponents on the ground. He has the IQ—he even picked up a recent calf slicer finish—but most of his grappling success comes in live transitions and scrambles.
Overall, Chovancek’s game is built on moments of damage more than consistent output. He’s dangerous, but too reliant on openings appearing rather than creating them. At this stage, I don’t see him ready for the UFC. With adjustments—particularly in output, footwork, and control—he has the tools to develop into a much more effective fighter.
Raphael Uchegbu
-Submission threat
-Excellent back take
-Uses length well
-Good straight punches
-Solid jab
-Good movement
-Nice clinch knees
-Wrestles well
-Good ground and pound
-Well-conditioned
-Good kicks
-Lacks fight IQ
I came away more impressed with Uchegbu on tape than I expected. He doesn’t have many glaring weaknesses outside of some past questionable decision-making, though lately he’s looked more composed and hasn’t made the same mistakes. Grappling is his strongest area, but I’d like to see his wrestling tighten up—particularly his positioning and defensive reactions to takedowns.
Even off his back, Uchegbu is dangerous. He attacks with long limbs, landing strikes and threatening submissions, though showing more urgency to get back up would serve him well. On top, however, he’s a problem. He’s sticky in control, aggressive in passing, and effective with wrist traps and heavy ground-and-pound. Back control is a staple of his game: while he hasn’t converted that to many RNC finishes, he excels at maintaining control, winning minutes, staying active with strikes, and constantly threatening the choke.
On the feet, Uchegbu has also been showing improvements. He fights well behind a long jab, mixing in straight punches and kicks with solid movement and accuracy. He puts together combinations nicely, often finishing with a knee, and uses his length to counter with knees as opponents close the distance. Offensively and defensively, he stays sharp, rarely leaving big openings.
The concerns are his wrestling consistency, occasional decision-making lapses, and the fact that none of his wins have come against strong competition. Still, since his lone loss, he’s shown real progress, and based on his skillset and growth, he looks like someone who belongs at the next level.
Prediction: Neither fighter is likely to lean heavily on wrestling, so much of this matchup should unfold on the feet. Chovancek may have the stronger wrestling entries, while Uchegbu holds the edge in Jiu-Jitsu. The problem for Chovancek is control—if he tries to wrestle, Uchegbu’s length and activity off his back make that a risky path.
On the feet, Chovancek’s style runs into real issues. He thrives in the pocket, but closing distance against Uchegbu’s reach, movement, and long weapons will be difficult. Chovancek doesn’t create angles; instead, he blitzes forward, which leaves him predictable. He could land something big in those exchanges, but over the course of a fight, I favor Uchegbu—he’s faster, more athletic, technically sharper, and has more tools to work with.
I expect Uchegbu to stay a step ahead, controlling range with his jab, using lateral footwork, and punishing Chovancek in the clinch if it gets there. Even if Chovancek pushes the wrestling later, I don’t see him holding Uchegbu down. The pick is Uchegbu by decision.
