Nick Klein vs Joe Kropschot prediction: Nick Klein's second-round fade runs into Joe Kropschot's submission streak
Klein has been stopped in Round 2 of both UFC fights, and the Contender Series graduate across from him finishes almost everyone in that round.
- Expect Klein to wrestle early, then face Kropschot's longer frame and submission threat once the pace drops in the middle rounds.
- Watch the scrambles after Klein's takedown attempts: he lands 31% of them, and Kropschot has six submission wins as a pro.
- No US sportsbook price was found yet; Klein's 0-2 UFC record, both losses by TKO, is the number a line will start from.
The second-round problem
Nick Klein has two UFC fights and the same ending in both. Mansur Abdul-Malik stopped him with punches in the clinch at 3:24 of Round 2 in February 2025. Andrey Pulyaev finished him with a body kick at 1:31 of Round 2 that August. Klein later cited poor decision-making in the second round of the first loss, and the second loss ended in the same round.
The defensive numbers back that up. Klein avoids only 39% of the significant strikes thrown at him, and he absorbs 3.49 a minute against 2.55 landed. All of that comes from just 14.9 minutes of UFC cage time, but nothing in those minutes points to a fighter who can survive a long exchange. His pro record shows three knockout losses.
Now he has been out since that Pulyaev loss, a layoff of 455 days by fight night, with no reason found for the gap. The Halloween card is about finding a first UFC win and ending a two-fight skid.
Two grapplers, one finisher
This is not a striker against a grappler. Klein trains out of Pura Vida BJJ, holds three submission wins as a pro, and wrestles constantly: he averages 5.03 takedowns per 15 minutes and has controlled opponents for 52% of his UFC fight time. Against Pulyaev he landed 4 of 7 takedowns and banked 285 seconds of control, and still lost.
That is the trouble. Klein's takedowns come at a 31% success rate, and every failed shot is a scramble against a man who lives on the ground. Joe Kropschot is 9-3 as a pro with six submission wins, and his recent run reads like a pattern: Round 2 submissions of David Allakhverdiev in February, Adland Benson before him and Mauricio Alonso before that. His Contender Series win over Jonathan Kunneman was his only career decision win.
If Klein takes Kropschot down, he is entering the opponent's preferred position. If he doesn't, he is standing with a striker who used his reach well at range on the Contender Series.
The debut and the frame
Kropschot arrives on a five-fight win streak, with a UFC contract earned on the Contender Series. He has no UFC fights, so his output in the Octagon is unknown. Scouting notes flag a real weakness: he can struggle defensively, and he has two knockout losses on his pro ledger. Klein, though, has yet to score a knockdown in the UFC.
Kropschot is the bigger man, standing 6-foot-3 with a 79-inch reach against Klein's 6-foot-1 frame and 77-inch reach. Klein lands most of his strikes at distance and sends 55% of them to the legs, so his kicks will be fighting uphill against that length.
Both fighters weighed in at 186 pounds on Friday. The only reported miss on the card came in a featherweight bout, and no fine was reported for this one.
The fighters
- Nick Klein (Nick Klein): Klein averages 5.03 takedowns per 15 minutes but has been stopped by TKO in Round 2 of both UFC fights.
- Joe Kropschot (Joe Kropschot): Kropschot debuts at 9-3 as a pro with six submission wins and a five-fight win streak.
Numbers that matter
| Klein strike defense | 39% | Klein avoids fewer than half the significant strikes thrown at him, which matches his two TKO losses. |
|---|---|---|
| Klein takedown accuracy | 31% | Most of Klein's shots fail, and each failure opens a scramble against a submission specialist. |
| Kropschot pro submission record | 6-1 | Six of Kropschot's nine pro wins came by submission, including Round 2 finishes of Alonso, Benson and Allakhverdiev. |
| Klein days since last fight | 455 | Klein returns from a long, unexplained layoff after back-to-back TKO losses. |
Nick Klein vs Joe Kropschot: quick answers
When is Nick Klein vs Joe Kropschot?
UFC Fight Night: Moicano vs. Nolan, on the prelims. That part of the card starts Saturday, October 31, 2026 at 5:00 PM ET.
What weight class is Nick Klein vs Joe Kropschot?
Middleweight, scheduled for 3 rounds.
Where is Nick Klein vs Joe Kropschot?
Meta APEX, Las Vegas, NV, USA.