UFC 285 Odds: Bo Nickal vs. Jamie Pickett prediction, pick, how to ...

The UFC 285 Main Card has finally arrived and will be kicking off in a huge way as we take a look at this fight from the Middleweight (185 lb) Division. Wrestling superstar Bo Nickal will be making his debut against Jamie Pickett looking to add a huge upset to his resume. It’s one of the more anticipated debuts we’ve seen in a long time, don’t miss the action as the Main Card opens up. Check out our UFC odds series for our Nickal-Pickett prediction and pick.

Bo Nickal is is 3-0 in his short MMA career and will be making his UFC debut after securing a contract in not one, but two DWCS fights. Nickal is a three-time NCAA Div. 1 Wrestling Champion from Penn State. He won Big 10 Athlete of the Year and was on a fast track to wrestle for the United States at the Olympics. He is credited as one of the most accomplished American wrestlers we’ve ever seen. In the last few years, he’s made the jump to MMA and will be in a massive spot making his debut on a PPV Main Card. Nickal stands 6’1″ and has a 76-inch reach.

Jamie Pickett is 13-8 in his career and has gone 2-4 since joining the UFC. He proved to be an promising talent and earned a contract on DWCS with an exciting knockout win. Since then, he’s traded wins for losses and hasn’t quite been able to find his footing in the UFC. He looked good in his last unanimous decision win against Joseph Holmes, but went on to lose his next two and most recent fights back-to-back. He’ll look to get on the right track as a massive underdog. Pickett stands 6’2″ and has an 80-inch reach.

Here are the UFC Odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

Bo Nickal: -2200

Jamie Pickett: -1100

Over (1.5) rounds: +230

Under (1.5) rounds: -320

TV: UFC PPV

Stream: ESPN+ UFC PPV, UFC Fight Pass

Time: 10:00 p.m. ET/ 7:00 p.m. PT (Main Card)

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Wrestling fans have known about Bo Nickal for quite some time now, but MMA fans may still be getting to know the All-American National Champion. Bo Nickal is mentioned in the top 0.01% of collegiate and national wrestlers today. Casual MMA fans will soon find out about the freight train that is Bo Nickal, but will be watching with a skeptical view to see if his wrestling success translates into MMA. So far, he hasn’t had to face any adversity and looks to be on a different level than anyone he faces on the ground. Still, the game is mixed martial arts, so Nickal will have to continue to improve his striking if he wants to see sustained success.

Bo Nickal is coming in as a historic favorite in his debut on the main card. No one is giving Picket a chance in this one, which says more about Bo Nickal as a fighter given Pickett’s talent. He will be no match for the world-class wrestling of Nickal. Nickal will, however, have to be careful when he shoots for a takedown. Pickett is long and hits like a truck, so we may see the chin of Nickal get tested in this one. Still, if Nackal can get a takedown, this fight is wraps. It’s only a matter of time before Nickal ensues ground-and-pound and locks up a choke while his opponent is covering up.

Jamie Pickett is a freak athlete and extremely long for the weight division. He has a ton of leverage behind his shots and has shown his devastation one-punch knockout ability. With an 80-inch reach, Pickett throws hard with a huge swing. Having to worry about the Nickal takedown, Pickett should look to tighten up his punches as he’ll have a striking advantage over Nickal. He should also utilize his kicks as Nickal hasn’t really been tested in that aspect yet. The biggest focus for Pickett will be sprawling his long legs when the takedown comes.

This is a tough spot for Jamie Pickett as he’s a really talented fighter with exciting striking, but doesn’t match up well against Nickal at all. Pickett has struggled at time against the wrestling of opponents and his long limbs often make it difficult to get up from bottom position. While he may not be worried about Nickal’s striking, he’ll have to bring his hands up in this one as he tend to drop them when he throws. Pickett will certainly have worked on his defensive jiu-jitsu before this fight and he’ll probably be having to make frequent use of it.

Jamie Pickett would be a great play in many fights besides this one. The UFC seems to be putting Bo Nickal in a position to get a win on a main card while wrestling fans tune in to watch. Everyone thinks this fight will go Nickal’s way, the question is just a matter of when. There’s not much value here at all, but Bo Nickal is the clear play. There’s a prop on FanDuel for Nickal to finish by submission in RD 1 or RD2. Let’s take that for the great value.

Final Bo Nickal-Jamie Pickett Prediction & Pick: Bo Nickal to win by Submission in RD1 or RD2 (-150)