Off the back of a pair of Dana White’s Contender Series victories, the most recent of which just two days ago, undefeated wrestling standout, Bo Nickal has already booked his UFC debut. Set to feature on the final flagship event of the year at UFC 282 on December 10., Nickal will take on middleweight, Jamie Pickett at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada.
3-0 as a professional, Bo Nickal managed to defeat Donovan Beard with a stunning opening minute triangle submission off his back at Dana White’s Contender Series on Tuesday this week, turning in submission victory number two from three professional fights.
As for Pickett, the veteran North Carolina native is in the midst of a two-fight losing skid in the Octagon, most recently suffering a knockout loss against Denis Tiuliulin at UFC 279 earlier this month in ‘Sin City’. ESPN MMA reporter, Brett Okamoto was first to report Nickal’s debut against Pickett.
“Well. That didn’t take long,” Okamoto tweeted. “Less than two days removed from Contender Series, Bo Nickal has his UFC debut. Nickal vs. Jamie Pickett at UFC 282 on Dec. 10 in Las Vegas, per the UFC.”
Bo Nickal makes his MMA move off the back of a gold-laden amateur wrestling career
A hugely-decorated amateur wrestler and grappling standout, Nickal, a native of Colorado, made his professional mixed martial arts debut back in June at iKON FC 3, scoring a first round knockout win over Josh Noland.
Nickal, 26, then featured on the Contender Series for the first time back in August against Zachary Borrego, again scoring a first round submission win, in the form of a rear-naked choke in a curtain-closing bout.
UFC 282 takes place on December 10. from the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada – with an official headlining fight for the promotion’s final pay-per-view event of the year yet to be confirmed by the organization.