Kyle Nelson

ANALYSIS
Almost certainly fighting for his job on the heels of back-to-back losses to Jai Herbert (unanimous decision) and Billy Quarantillo (KO), Nelson emerged from the UFC Apex with a draw. It might not seem like a big deal, but he should have lost and likely have been handed his walking papers, with a mental mistake from Choi in Round 3 possibly keeping him around. Nelson looked brutal on the feet, but he landed 5-of-10 takedowns, giving him a fighting chance. An illegal headbutt by Choi cost him a point, allowing Nelson to emerge with the draw. There simply isn't much here to be excited about.

ANALYSIS
Nelson started his UFC career with a 1-4 record and was essentially being given a final opportunity, but he would have had to venture to Korea to take on a fan favorite in enemy territory. He gets a massive break with the move to Las Vegas, but he'll still have his work cut out for him against the high-volume style of "The Korean Superboy," even with Choi coming off a three-year layoff.

ANALYSIS
Nelson has lost two fights in a row and is 1-4 under the UFC banner, and he'll now have to head to enemy territory to face "The Korean Superboy" in Seoul. On the bright side, Choi has lost three consecutive fights and was finished in his last two, in addition to not having stepped in the Octagon since December of 2019. Choi tends to throw caution to the wind and fight with reckless abandon, which has led to five consecutive post-fight bonuses. Effectively, Nelson will have to increase his volume from 3.34 significant strikes landed per minute to keep pace.

ANALYSIS
Entering as a +240 underdog in a hostile environment, Nelson fought as well as could be reasonably expected. His best round was the first, when he landed a whopping 70 percent (19-of-27) of his significant strikes. Nelson's output dipped as the fight progressed while Herbert's improved, although Nelson was by no means embarrassed over the course of the final ten minutes. This fight was a step in the right direction for Nelson, but it might not matter. He's now 1-4 in his first five UFC bouts, with every defeat other than this one coming via stoppage. He won't be guaranteed another fight with the company.

ANALYSIS
Nelson will be making his first appearance in the Octagon since September of 2020 when he lost to Billy Quarantillo. Nelson has lost three of his last four bouts. It'll be interesting to see how the long layoff affects his performance.