The UFC 322 Featured Prelim bout of the night is finally here as we're set for our betting prediction and pick for this tilt in the Middleweight (185) Division. Wrestling phenom Bo Nickal will take on a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu legend Rodolfo Vieira to welcome the UFC Main Card. Check our UFC 322 odds series for the Nickal-Vieira prediction and pick.
Bo Nickal (7-1) has gone 4-1 since joining the UFC in 2023. After a blazing 4-0 start to his tenure, Nickal dropped the first bout of his pro MMA career to Reinier de Ridder in May 2025. Now, Nickal is back once again as the betting favorite looking to improve and bounce back from the loss. He stands 6-foot-1 with a 76-inch reach.
Rodolfo Vieira (11-3) has gone 6-3 inside the UFC since 2019. Vieira has been on the uptick as of late, winning three of his last four fights with two wins by submission. Given his accolades as a BJJ practitioner, Vieira will be a great matchup to threaten the wrestling of Bo Nickal. Vieira stands six feet tall with a 73-inch reach.
Here are the UFC 322 Odds, courtesy of DraftKings.
UFC 322 Odds: Bo Nickal-Rodolfo Vieira Odds
Bo Nickal: -205
Rodolfo Vieira: +170
Over 2.5 rounds: -145
Under 2.5 rounds: +114
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Why Bo Nickal Will Win
- Last Fight: (L) Reinier de Ridder – TKO (knee to body, R2)
- Last 5: 4-1
- Finishes: 2 KO/TKO, 4 SUB
Given the unbeaten streak Bo Nickal was on dating back to his Penn State Wrestling and a 4-0 start in MMA, every inclination showed that he was a prospect ready to face the best in the world. However, he ran into a buzzsaw with Reinier de Ridder and got his first taste of a loss in the UFC. Given his experience as a wrestling national champ, Nickal will only grow and improve his game following the defeat, likely to come back looking his best in this bout.
Nickal has improved every part of his MMA game, but his striking has come along the most up to this point. He may actually have the advantage over a clunky striker like Vieira who's much more of a threat on the ground. Don't be surprised if we see Bo Nickal standing and letting his hands fly throughout most of this fight.
He'll still have to be wary of the takedowns coming back from Vieira and the obvious submission attempts, but Nickal can rest easy knowing he's always got the wrestling to fall back on. Furthermore, Nickal sports a much better gas tank over three rounds and could come out the fresher fighter if this fight goes to a decision.
Why Rodolfo Vieira Will Win
- Last Fight: (W) Tresean Gore – U DEC
- Last 5: 3-2
- Finishes: 1 KO/TKO, 9 SUB
Rodolfo Vieira put together a solid performance against Tresean Gore his last time out and although he went an abysmal 1-14 on his takedown attempts, Vieira managed to out-strike Gore 96-50 over three rounds. He's certainly not going to bring Nickal down easily if he struggled against Tresean Gore, so Vieira will likely have to stand and strike with his opponent in this one. Given his last performance, it may not be a bad plan given his activity and ability to land.
Vieira is a multiple-time world champion in BJJ competition with three of his last four wins coming by way of submission. He's extremely dangerous on the ground and even off his back, he's able to reverse positions and put his opponents in a bad spot. If Nickal chooses to engage him on the ground, Vieira could have a chance for a sneaky submission or rolling to take the back.
Either way, Vieira is facing a younger, hungrier opponent and will need to put together a complete performance to get the job done. His striking defense was great during his last fight, so perhaps frustrating Bo Nickal on the feet and countering could be the key to his success in this one.
Final Bo Nickal-Rodolfo Vieira Prediction & Pick
This fight will pin two elite grapplers against each other, but I expect this fight to mostly take place on the feet. Both fighters should respect the other's abilities enough and both have been eager to strike over their last few bouts. I don't expect Vieira to be much of a threat to take Nickal down and my guess is that Nickal is confident enough in his hands to search for the knockout.
This fight should be very interesting and tense through the opening minutes, but Bo Nickal should eventually land and hurt Vieira with his improved striking. From there, Bo Nickal should be able to finish the bout on a number of occasions, but I don't see this one going the distance due to both fighters' questionable cardio. Let's roll with Bo Nickal to find the Round 2 finish in this one.
Final Bo Nickal-Rodolfo Vieira Prediction & Pick: Bo Nickal (-205); UNDER 2.5 Rounds (+114)
