Alongside Khamzat Chimaev, Bo Nickal has been one of the most exciting UFC fighters in recent times. Although Nickal has fought twice in Dana White’s Contender Series, he is yet to make his UFC debut. He was scheduled to take on Jamie Pickett at UFC 282. But the bout was postponed and it will now take on UFC 285.
Ever since his first bout in the UFC, the hype surrounding Bo Nickal has been amazing. His first Contender Series win was against Zack Borrego. Nickal won the bout via submission in 62 seconds. However, UFC President Dana White wanted to see more from Bo and did not give him a main roster contract right away.
The long-awaited debut is here!@NoBickal gets his first officially UFC action this Saturday against @JamiePickettMMA!
[ #UFC285 | March 4th | Live on ESPN+ PPV: https://t.co/twBcYMJ3ve ] pic.twitter.com/THEp8d8QEb
— UFC (@ufc) March 3, 2023
Dana brought him back a month after Bo’s first contest and matched him up against Donovan Beard. Although the result was the same, Nickal won the fight 10 seconds earlier that time. So it does seem like Bo Nickal is absolutely ready for the next chapter of his MMA career. As previously mentioned, he is set to take on Jamie Pickett, who is currently on a 2-fight losing skid.
UFC 285, Jamie Pickett vs Bo Nickal, Stats
| Stats | Jamie Pickett | Bo Nickal |
|---|---|---|
| Wins | 13 | 3 |
| Losses | 8 | 0 |
| Height | 1.88 m | 1.85 m |
| Division | Middleweight | Middleweight |
| Reach | 203.2 cm | 193 cm |
| Age | 34 | 27 |
Pickett vs Nickal: Fight Breakdown
UFC 285 is a huge event with two title fights at the top, and one of them will see Jon Jones returning to the UFC after 3 years. It will be undoubtedly one of the most-watched PPVs in recent times. Hence, a lot of eyeballs will be on Bo Nickal as well. His bout against Jamie Pickett will open the UFC 285 main card. However, Bo is used to handling pressure.
Nickal was one of the most-highly-rated amateur wrestling talents in the country. But Nickal has never buckled under pressure and has always come through every obstacle put in front of him. As per UFC stats, Nickal has landed 3.68 strikes per minute in his two outings in the Octagon, his takedown average is an obscene 23.68 per fight!
However, there are asterisks behind the stats as he has only 1 minute and 54 seconds of fight time in the Octagon. In his 3-fight career, Nickal has maintained a 100% win rate. In comparison, has a pro record of 13-8, with 2 KOs and 3 submission losses. As a result, Bo Nickal will absolutely take advantage of Pickett’s deficiencies this Saturday.
Many have opined that Nickal is perhaps good enough to win the UFC middleweight title right away. But first, Nickal has to get past Jamie Pickett, who has an average of 3.25 strikes per minute and 1.39 takedowns per fight. He also has 8 KO/TKOs in his career as well.
So Pickett definitely has the power and the experience. Hence, “The Nightwolf” has the capability cause an upset this Saturday. But Bo Nickal will be the favorite regardless this weekend.
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