Francesco Nuzzi vs. Xiao Long
UFC Fight Night · August 29, 2026 · SPD Bank Oriental Sports Center · Prelims 3:00 AM ET
The brief
- What kind of fight
- Newcomer Pressure vs. Veteran Durability
- Finish likelihood
- High
- The line
- No line posted yet
- The stakes
- Bantamweight · Prelims
The read
Nuzzi's pace and power make him dangerous early, and his finishing rate suggests he will look to press the action rather than feel his way in.
Xiao Long has been finished before but has also weathered adversity across a long career, and fighting at home in Shanghai adds motivation.
Lean Nuzzi if he can impose pressure immediately, with Xiao Long's championship-rounds experience as the path back if the fight goes long.
The matchup
This is a step up in finishing power for the veteran Xiao Long against a short-notice UFC newcomer who has stopped the vast majority of his career wins.
Nuzzi's aggression and heavy hands have produced fast finishes throughout his career, while Xiao Long's far larger sample of professional fights and durability give him a proven ability to survive adversity.
The short-notice booking and cultural spotlight of a home crowd add extra variables to how each man performs.
Tale of the tape
| 11-2-0 | Record | 27-11-0 |
| 29 | Age | 28 |
| 5'3" | Height | 5'8" |
| 69" | Reach | — |
| — | Stance | — |
| Italy | Country | China |
| Wolfetemple | Team | — |
The numbers
Career UFC averages. Red bar = statistical edge.
The fighters
Francesco Nuzzi 11-2-0
“Berserker”
Francesco 'Berserker' Nuzzi is an Italian bantamweight out of Wolfetemple who has stopped eight of his eleven career wins, most inside the first round, and has never been knocked out. His record also includes two no contests, the most recent when an accidental low blow ended his Cage Warriors 204 bout early. He joins the UFC on short notice to make his promotional debut against Xiao Long in Shanghai.
- NCManoel Silva · No contest (low blow)Cage Warriors 204 · April 11, 2026
Xiao Long 27-11-0
Xiao Long is a veteran Chinese bantamweight with a Sanda background and 38 professional fights, giving him a deep well of experience against the UFC-debuting Francesco Nuzzi. He has dropped his last two UFC outings, most recently a unanimous decision to Cody Garbrandt at UFC 326. He looks to snap the skid in front of a home crowd in Shanghai.
- LCody Garbrandt · Decision (unanimous)UFC 326 · March 7, 2026