Bo Nickal to Make UFC Debut in December, Faces Jamie Pickett at UFC 282

5 fights in 1 year. 5 first round finishes. 0 strikes absorbed. Nobody can do it like me. We headed to the top! Much love to all my supporters, bigger things on the way!

— Bo Nickal (@NoBickal) September 28, 2022

When many expected that Ultimate Fighting Championship pickup Bo Nickal would be thrown to the proverbial wolves in his debut, most did not realize just how right they were.

Fresh off a contract-winning performance on the final episode of the 2022 season of Dana White's Contender Series, Nickal (3-0) has his first UFC fight booked. The middleweight wrestling standout will be toeing the line against “The Nightwolf” Jamie Pickett (13-8) at UFC 282 on Dec. 10. The organization’s broadcast partner of ESPN first announced this booking on Thursday.

Three-time NCAA Division I national champion wrestler Nickal made his professional debut in the sport against John Noland in June. It took Nickal 33 seconds to demolish his opponent with punches, and he earned a place on the Contender Series. Appearing just over two months into his tenure in the sport, Nickal tapped Zachary Borrego in 62 seconds with a rear-naked choke to receive a return invite on DWCS. The top prospect made good on that third appearance, hitting a triangle choke on Donovan Beard in 52 seconds – and now a total combined pro fight time of 2:07 – to get signed by the UFC.

Pickett himself earned a contract on the 2020 season of DWCS by crushing Jhonoven Pati, but it was his third appearance with the promotion. “The Nightwolf” famously appeared on the very first episode of the show back in 2017, and he lost to Charles Byrd. Returning two years later on Episode 1 of the 2019 season, he then fell short to Punahele Soriano. Since making his way to the UFC in 2020, Pickett has won just twice – both times by decision over Joseph Holmes and Laureano Staropoli – while dropping four bouts, including three by stoppage. Pickett’s career finish rate sits at an even 69%, with all but one of his wins inside the distance coming by knockout.

UFC 282 will go down at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on Dec. 10. The headliner is not official, but it is reported to be a light heavyweight championship rematch between Jiri Prochazka and Glover Teixeira. Other fights that will slot high on the billing include a heavyweight tilt between Chris Daukaus and Jairzinho Rozenstruik, a 185-pound battle pitting Darren Till against Dricus Du Plessis, and a 170-pound rumble between Santiago Ponzinibbio and Robbie Lawler.