Nickal vs Pickett Odds & Pick: A UFC Debut For The Ages

Bo Nickal (3-0) will make his much-anticipated debut Saturday in a middleweight bout vs Jamie Pickett (13-8, 2-4 UFC) to kick off the UFC 285 main card. Nickal, a decorated Division I college wrestler, made a splash on Dana White’s Contender Series and has since become one of the most hyped UFC prospects in promotion history. 

UFC 285: Bo Nickal vs Jamie Pickett Betting Odds

Odds as of March 3

According to our odds calculator, Nickal’s -1400 odds translate to an implied win probability of 95.24 percent with a $10 bet on the newbie paying out just $10.50. Pickett, the card’s largest underdog, sits at +900, which gives him an implied 9.09 percent chance of winning. A $10 bet on Pickett pays out $110.

For more information on how these numbers work, including the Nickal vs Pickett odds, head over to our How to Bet on UFC page. Also, visit our main UFC betting news page for all the latest news from inside the Octagon.

UFC 285: Nickal vs Pickett Preview: Who Will Win?

Nickal is finally fighting in the UFC. Let’s see how we can make some money off his talents. 

What Pickett Does Well

Um, nothing? It’s clear Pickett is here as a proverbial lamb-to-the-slaughter, ready to be dismantled by Nickal — both the odds and the eye test reinforce that notion. Pickett is big and long for a 185-pounder, but he’s been outstruck in five of his six UFC fights and finished three times. 

The sun will rise in the east and set in the west and Pickett will get outclassed as a grappler Saturday. It’s an absolute certainty. “The Night Wolf” is wise to try to strike with Nickal for as long as he can because his 65 percent takedown defense won’t hold up long.

What Nickal Does Well

I was amazed by Nickal’s first showing on the Contender Series. He landed a thunderous takedown right away and transitioned into some heavy ground and pound. The Penn State product was like a spider monkey, using lightning-quick transitions to pivot from a standing guillotine attempt to a back mount. 

Yeah, Bo Nickal is the REAL DEAL pic.twitter.com/d6yzxLkgdo

— Spinnin Backfist (@SpinninBackfist) August 10, 2022

Nickal has submitted his first two opponents in UNDER 0.5 rounds, and he made it look so easy. It was like he was wrestling children. Nickal’s wrestling is elite, so all he needs to do Saturday is get the fight to the mat. From there, his instincts can kick in while he cruises to victory.

Nickal vs Pickett Pick

You need a microscope to find value in this fight, and I'd only bet on this bout if you are super desperate. For now, my official pick is Nickal to win in Round 1 (-200).

Pick: Nickal to win in Round 1 (-200)

Check out our other pages for full previews and picks on Jon Jones vs Ciryl Gane, Valentina Shevchenko vs Alexa Grasso, Geoff Neal vs Shavkat Rakhmonov and Mateusz Gamrot vs Jalin Turner.

UFC 285: Full Card & Betting Odds

Odds as of March 3