Heavyweights Shamil Gaziev and Kennedy Nzechukwu threw down at UFC Sacramento on Saturday, the UFC’s return to the California city after being absent since 2019.
Both men were looking to get back in the win column, with Nzechukwu coming off a draw opposite Marcus Buchecha. Gaziev, for his part, had lost two straight, against Waldo Cortes-Acosta and Brando Peričić. Not a good spot for the Russian to find himself.
Kennedy Nzechukwu looked to come out fast, and might have touched Gaziev once or twice early, but the Nigerian had his hands low. That cost him, as a lunging right hand was all Gaziev needed to put Nzechukwu away in Sacramento. The finish came less than 90 seconds into the bout. With Nzechukwu circling along the fence, Gaziev moved in and clipped him with a perfectly placed punch, one that sent Kennedy crashing to the mat. The ref did an excellent job of immediately getting between the pair, saving Nzechukwu from taking any unnecessary damage.
That’s ten knockouts for Shamil Gaziev, who gets back into the winner’s circle for the first time since February of 2025. Following the bout, Gaziev, who competed for the second time in 2026 at UFC Sacramento, stated that he wanted to return later in the year after some time off.
Official Result: Shamil Gaziev def. Kennedy Nzechukwu by knockout (punch), Round 1, 1:20
