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UFC Welterweight

Khaos Williams VS Nikolay Veretennikov

Meta Apex, Las Vegas, Nevada, U.S.

Tale of the Tape

16-6-0 Record 14-8-0
32 Age 36
183 cm Height 185 cm
196 cm Reach 188 cm
orthodox Stance orthodox
63% Finish rate 79%
56% KO rate 71%
6% Sub rate 7%

Result Summary

Khaos Williams def. Nikolay Veretennikov TKO (punches) · R1 3:31

Khaos Williams defeated Nikolay Veretennikov by TKO at 3:31 of the first round in their welterweight bout at UFC Fight Night: Allen vs. Costa on May 16, 2026 in Las Vegas. A short left hand sent Veretennikov stumbling into the fence, and Williams immediately read the damage — picking his spots with follow-up strikes before dropping him and forcing the stoppage. Veretennikov had come in on the back of a first-round TKO over Niko Price in February 2026 but had no answer once Williams' left hand found its mark. The finish was Williams' fifth stoppage in eight UFC wins and ended a two-fight losing skid.

Fight Overview

Khaos Williams carries some of the most dangerous one-shot knockout power in the welterweight division and needs a finish to reverse a two-fight losing skid, while Nikolay Veretennikov presents a physically imposing challenge with a six-foot-one frame, 74-inch reach, and a Combat Sambo base that proved itself with a 2026 TKO win over Niko Price. Both men are at a career crossroads in this power puncher versus grinder matchup.

Keys to Victory

Khaos Williams

  1. Close distance with explosive lateral movement rather than trading at the range where Veretennikov's reach dominates.
  2. Counter off Veretennikov's entries with head movement to set up the left hook knockout shot.
  3. Avoid the clinch and fence grappling where Veretennikov's Sambo base and physical size become most dangerous.

Nikolay Veretennikov

  1. Keep Williams at the end of his jab to punish him at distance before he can close range.
  2. Initiate clinch work and body locks against the cage to neutralize Williams's explosive one-shot threat.
  3. Control pace with grinding pressure rather than letting Williams reset and find rhythm on the counter.

Last 5 fights

Khaos Williams

  1. L Andreas Gustafsson Decision · R3 5:00 · 7 JUN 2025
  2. L Gabriel Bonfim Submission · R2 4:58 · 15 FEB 2025
  3. W Carlston Harris KO · R1 1:30 · 18 MAY 2024
  4. W Rolando Bedoya Decision · R3 5:00 · 6 MAY 2023
  5. L Randy Brown Decision · R3 5:00 · 7 MAY 2022

Nikolay Veretennikov

  1. W Niko Price TKO · R1 1:42 · 7 FEB 2026
  2. L Punahele Soriano Decision · R3 5:00 · 4 OCT 2025
  3. W Francisco Prado Decision · R3 5:00 · 19 JUL 2025
  4. L Austin Vanderford TKO · R2 4:13 · 22 FEB 2025
  5. L Danny Barlow Decision · R3 5:00 · 10 AUG 2024

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AI-generated This analysis was generated with AI and may contain errors.

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