UFC 290 Odds: Bo Nickal-Valentine Woodburn prediction, pick

UFC 290: Alexander Volkanovski vs. Yair Rodriguez kicks off the main card with a fight in the middleweight division between Bo Nickal and Valentine Woodburn. Highly touted prospect Nickal is coming off a first-round submission in his UFC debut meanwhile, short-notice newcomer Woodburn is undefeated at 7-0. With that said, check out our UFC odds series for our Nickal-Woodburn prediction and pick.

Bo Nickal (4-0) is one of the biggest prospects that the UFC has signed in recent memory. He is one the greatest Division-1 wrestlers to ever step foot inside the octagon. He has shown his grappling prowess in his UFC debut as well as his two Contender Series appearances and he surely hasn't disappointed. Nickal was slated to face off against Tresean Gore until he had to withdraw due to injury and now he will be facing short-notice newcomer Valentine Woodburn on less than a week's notice.

Valentine Woodburn (7-0) is a Florida regional fighter that trains out of Fusion X-cel Performance with the UFC fighters Philip Rowe, Lucas Alexander, and Mike Davis to name a few. He is the Combat Nights middleweight champion and is looking to put on the best possible performance for the biggest opportunity in his young MMA career when he takes on Bo Nickal this weekend at UFC 290.

Here are the UFC Odds, courtesy of FanDuel. 

UFC 290 Odds: Bo Nickal-Valentine Woodburn Odds

Bo Nickal: -3000

Valentine Woodburn: +1120

Over 1.5 Rounds: +320

Under 1.5 Rounds: -460

How to Watch Bo Nickal vs. Valentine Woodburn

TV: PPV

Stream: PPV

Time: 10:00 p.m. ET/ 5:00 p.m. PT (Main Card)

Why Bo Nickal Will Win

Bo Nickal is one of the top prospects in the entire sport not just in the UFC. He is one of the best wrestlers to ever step foot inside an MMA cage and while he is early into his fighting career he has shown a ton of progression from fight to fight. For someone whose entire life was dedicated to wrestling, he has picked up the submission grappling game very well.

He has finished three of his four professional wins by submission with all three coming in the very first round. Nickal had his toughest test to date against a UFC veteran Jamie Pickett and he passed the test with flying colors. After his opponent Tresean Gore had to withdraw from his bout due to injury, Nickal is now taking on newcomer Valentine Woodburn on just a day's notice.

Why Valentine Woodburn Will Win

Valentine Woodburn is a known commodity in the MMA community but he is an undefeated professional fighter (7-0) fighting out of Florida and trains at Fusion X-Cel Performance with UFC-level talent. He is the Combat Night, a Florida-based MMA promotion, and middleweight champion. He is a fighter that is small in stature at only 5'8″ but packs a ton of power in his hands with five of his seven losses coming by knockout.

Unfortunately for Woodburn, he will not be able to contend in the wrestling and grappling with Nickal at all but he has the neutralizer in his hands which could be the difference maker. If he goes in there and lets his hands go and does not worry about who he's fighting he can cause a colossal upset.

Final Bo Nickal-Valentine Woodburn Prediction & Pick

Bo Nickal is the biggest betting favorite in UFC history and rightfully so. His wrestling is on another level that it's going to be extremely hard for someone like Valentine Woodburn to defend even on full notice let alone on short notice. While Woodburn is very dangerous on the feet and can land some heavy shots on Nickal but ultimately this is going to be reminiscent of Nickal's last three fights. He will go in there, take Woodburn down and then finish him within the first five minutes of the fight.

Final Bo Nickal-Valentine Woodburn Prediction & Pick: Bo Nickal Wins By First-Round Submission (-160), Under 1.5 Rounds (-460)