The highly anticipated debut of former NCAA Division I wrestling champion Bo Nickal took place on Saturday at UFC 285, where he faced Jamie Pickett in the octagon.
Nickal had previously captured the U.S. National championship and the Under 23 World Championship in 2019, making him one of the most exciting prospects in the UFC.
Nickal’s wrestling background and reputation preceded him into the event, and it was clear from the opening moments that he was the more dominant guy.
He immediately shot a takedown after Pickett slipped, and while Pickett defended well at first, Nickal was eventually able to snap his head down and grab the front headlock to pull him down. In a scramble, Nickal took the back and threatened an arm-triangle in half guard. Although he initially had the choke in for a while, he eventually forced Pickett to tap out.
Following his victory, Nickal expressed his confidence and excitement for his future in the UFC, stating that he felt at home and had been training his whole life for this moment.
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He also noted that he was only 27 years old, had been doing MMA for a year and a half, and was already on the main card of a UFC Pay-Per-View.
Footage of NUT shot by Bo Nickal #ufc284 pic.twitter.com/lHXa2EpaZY
— Brian Nandez 🇩🇴 (@BrianNandez_) March 5, 2023
The win marked Nickal’s fourth straight victory, and he is quickly making a name for himself as a dominant force in the UFC. He has his sights set on the championship belt and is determined to become the pound-for-pound number one by the end of his career.
Jamie Pickett’s manager LaMont Chappell confirmed they would be appealing the result of the contest citing a low blow directly led to the takedown and finish as per Nolan King.
Bo Nickal denied foul play:
“I hit him in the leg, in the thigh,” Nickal said.
“I had him in a bad position along the wall. He wanted to get off the wall and he wanted the ref to stop it. If I were to have actually hit him low, I would feel bad because I don’t want to win that way.”
“I’m not somebody who tries to take short cuts. If I did hit him low, I would’ve just relaxed probably or let the ref stop it. But I didn’t hit him low at all, so it’s a weird move, bro.”