Bo Nickal vs. Tresean Gore UFC 290 Odds, Time, and Prediction

Bo Nickal is widely considered to be the next big thing in the UFC Middleweight division, while Tresean Gore is thought of as a “tomato can.” Gore is believed to be easy prey for such a great finisher as Nickal whose odds for the UFC 290 main card opener are as short as -1600 at some betting sites.

Are bookies right to think of Nickal as such a huge favorite or is there a chance Gore can pull off a major upset? Let’s find out!

*Odds taken from FanDuel on Monday, July 3, 2023.

When, Where, and How to Watch?

• Place: T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada
• Date: Saturday, July 8, 2023
• Time: 10:00 p.m. (Eastern Time)
• How to Watch: UFC Fight Pass

Bo Nickal Hype Train Keeps Rolling

Now a 27-year-old, Bo Nickal made the sports headlines during his high school and college days when he was an amateur wrestler. Some of his biggest achievements from that period include winning gold medals at the U23 World Championships, US National Championships, NCAA Division I National Championships, and Big Ten Championships.

Then, in 2022, he made his MMA debut, beating his opponent by KO at Jorge Masvidal’s iKon FC 3 event, after only 33 seconds in round 1. The win recommended him to Dana White, who had him compete in two fights of last year’s Contender Series – Nickal won both of them by submission.

Finally, he made his UFC debut in March 2023. His opponent was Jamie Pickett, whom many consider a journeyman. That’s why it wasn’t a surprise that Nickal beat him. Once again, he did it by submission.

Four months later, he’s got another relatively easy task on his hands. Tresean Gore is coming to Vegas as a huge underdog, but maybe he’s the one who can derail the Bo Nickal hype train?

Can Tresean Gore Pull Off One of the Biggest UFC Upsets Ever?

The biggest betting upset in the history of the UFC happened last year when -1400 favorite Mariya Agapova lost to Shana Dobson. Bo Nickal is a -1600 favorite in the fight against Tresean Gore, meaning that if he loses, it’s going to be one of the biggest shocks ever in this sport.

So, can “Mr. Vicious” do it? His 6-2 overall record suggests he might. This guy started his MMA career in 2018 in local promotions, before shining in Season 29 of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) where he had two wins inside the distance.

Then, in 2022, he made his UFC debut, which did not go as planned – he lost to Bryan Battle by unanimous decision. Things got even worse for him in his second fight in the UFC, in which he got KO-ed by Cody Brundage.

However, just three and a half months later, he won his first-ever UFC fight. He defeated Josh Fremd by submission (guillotine choke).

Bo Nickal vs. Tresean Gore Prediction

In his three UFC fights, Bo Nickal got hit only once. Yep, that’s right – only Jamie Pickett managed to strike him before suffering a takedown. His other two opponents failed to land even a single punch/kick before getting taken down.

Tresean Gore probably realizes that he stands no chance defending takedowns against one of America’s best wrestlers, who also has a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu. If Nickal takes him down, it’s game over for Gore.

So, rather than working on his TD defense and grappling skills, (if he’s wise) Gore’s been working on polishing his striking skills. His only chance of winning this fight is by KO or TKO. We’re not saying that’s likely to happen, but we think he’s going to try it.

That’s why our top pick for this fight is that it won’t go the distance. When it comes to the fight-winner market, it’s only sensible to go with Nickal.

Pick: Bo Nickal to win inside the distance