Uncertainty Surrounds Bo Nickal’s Presence at UFC 290 Due to Unforeseen Circumstances

With just five days left until UFC 290’s pay-per-view event on Saturday, Bo Nickal’s participation hangs in the balance. This turn of events results from his adversary, Tresean Gore, pulling out from their much-anticipated main-card battle due to a wrist injury. Gore, with a 4-2 MMA record and a 1-2 UFC record, informed his followers about this development through Instagram stories on Tuesday morning. As per MMA journalist Ariel Helwani, UFC is actively looking for a stand-in for Nickal, aiming to confirm a new matchup by the end of the day.

Nickal, a 27-year-old rising star in the UFC with a 4-0 MMA and 1-0 UFC record, made his first promotional appearance at UFC 285 in March. His debut was a resounding success as he outmaneuvered Jamie Pickett with a first-round triangle choke. This victory, however, was shrouded in controversy. Pickett and his crew moved to challenge the result due to an alleged low blow preceding the match’s final sequence. Nevertheless, the appeal was dismissed, and the fight’s outcome was ratified.

With a history of three NCAA Division I national wrestling championships at Penn State, Nickal has so far been unstoppable, having claimed victory in all his professional MMA fights in the first round. This record includes two remarkable appearances on Dana White’s Contender Series in the previous year, only seven weeks apart.

Gore, an alumnus of “The Ultimate Fighter 29,” had been poised to make his first appearance in 2023. He revealed that his wrist injury might necessitate surgery, potentially sidelining him for six months to a year. During his previous outing, Gore secured his first UFC victory, defeating Josh Fremd with a second-round guillotine choke.

Below, you can see the updated UFC 290 roster:

MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET)

Alexander Volkanovski vs. Yair Rodriguez Brandon Moreno vs. Alexandre Pantoja Dricus Du Plessis vs. Robert Whittaker Dan Hooker vs. Jalin Turner Bo Nickal vs. opponent TBA

PRELIMINARY CARD (ABC/ESPN/ESPN+, 8 p.m. ET)

Robbie Lawler vs. Niko Price Josiah Harrell vs. Jack Della Maddalena Denise Gomes vs. Yazmin Jauregui Jimmy Crute vs. Alonzo Menifield

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 6 p.m. ET)

Vitor Petrino vs. Marcin Prachnio Jesus Aguilar vs. Shannon Ross Kamuela Kirk vs. Esteban Ribovics Terrence Mitchell vs. Cameron Saaiman Edgar Chairez vs. Tatsuro Taira