Preview: UFC 290 ‘Volkanovski vs. Rodriguez’

Middleweights

Bo Nickal (4-0) vs. Valentine Woodburn (7-0)
Odds: Nickal (-2400), Woodburn (+1200)

It's full speed ahead for the push of Nickal, one of the UFC's most highly touted prospects in a while. A multi-time wrestling champion collegiately and an Olympic hopeful, Nickal's one of the more promising converts from the mats to the Octagon, and thus far he's lived up to the hype; he won twice in less than a combined two minutes on the Contender Series to earn a UFC contract, and he ran over Jamie Pickett in one-sided fashion in his promotional debut this past March. There's still a ton of questions about exactly what Nickal doesn't know, but thus far he's looked to be a natural in terms of having an aptitude for his new sport as a striker and a grappler, so it looks like it'll be a while until he's truly tested. Tresean Gore was set to be a solid next step as a dangerous opponent and physical powerhouse that Nickal could still likely overwhelm, but with Gore pulling out on days’ notice, newcomer Woodburn steps up in a rough spot. Woodburn's a decent enough prospect that was slated to compete on the Contender Series later this summer, but he's very much a physical talent still rounding out his technical game. His stocky frame means he still does his best work in close quarters, and given that his defensive wrestling didn't stand out much even on the regional scene, this looks like another matchup Nickal can take over almost immediately; the pick is Nickal via first-round submission.

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Volkanovski vs. Rodriguez
Moreno vs. Pantoja
Whittaker vs. Du Plessis
Turner vs. Hooker
Nickal vs. Woodburn
The Prelims