The time has come and the UFC 300: Pereira vs. Hill Main Card will be live from T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas as we're set to bring you a betting prediction and pick for the opening bout in the Middleweight (185) Division. Rising star Bo Nickal of American Top Team will take on Cody Brundage of factoryX Muay Thai. Check out our UFC odds series for our Nickal-Brundage prediction and pick.

Bo Nickal (5-0) has started his UFC stint at a clean 2-0 with two finishing victories in 2023. It's been a slow rise for Nickal, but his opposition is slowly getting better and we'll soon see him be more tested in terms of his matchups. He comes into this fight as the biggest betting favorite on the card and is looking to have his name attached to an eventual Main Event. Nickal stands 6'1″ with a 76-inch reach.

Cody Brundage (10-5) has gone an even 4-4 in the UFC since 2021. He's still fairly fresh in the UFC and while he's 2-3 in his last five fights, he's won back-to-back bouts via TKO heading into this one. He'll have a massive chip on his shoulder, but he'll be looking to upset as the biggest underdog on the fight card. Brundage stands 6'0″ with a 72-inch reach.

Here are the UFC 300 Odds, courtesy of BetOnline. 

UFC 300 Odds: Bo Nickal-Cody Brundage Odds

Bo Nickal: -2300

Cody Brundage: +1100

Over 1.5 rounds: +275

Under 1.5 rounds: -350

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Why Bo Nickal Will Win

Bo Nickal has done nothing but impress fans with his slow, yet emphatic rise through Dana White's Contender Series and the UFC. He was the first DWCS fighter to be called back to fight after winning his first audition fight. It's clear the UFC is trying to build his early record and slowly feed him increasingly difficult competition to test his skills. Through two fights, he's been nothing short of sensational and managed to stun everyone with his boxing skills with a KO-victory during his last fight. This will be his toughest MMA opponent to date, so it'll be interesting to see how he handles adversity here, if any.

Nickal will be the biggest betting favorite on the card and he has one of the most lopsided wrestling advantages against anyone in the division. His experience as a multi-time NCAA Champion has given him the perfect base for MMA and he's been able to refine his striking skills and is slowly turning into a well-rounded mixed martial artist. His hands were extremely impressive last time out and we're expecting much of the same from him when he faces Brundage.

Why Cody Brundage Will Win

Cody Brundage is a much better fighter than this betting line indicates and he's got the courage to face a rising prospect no one wants to see in the cage. Brundage is a very balanced fighter and doesn't mind working from the striking game or the grappling. It's likely that he'll have to wrestle during this fight and he comes in with a very solid 73% takedown defense. While he may have trouble against a world-class grappler like Nickal, he certainly has the explosiveness to get up off the ground and keep this fight in boxing range.

For Cody Brundage to be successful here, he'll have to gain Nickal's respect right away with a few clean strikes to the chin. Nickal has barely taken any damage through his UFC appearances, so Brundage stands a big chance to stun him early and make this fight more interesting. He's a solid enough boxer to give Nickal issues in the stand-up game, he'll just need to pick his shots carefully and make sure he's defending the takedown in dire situations.

Final Bo Nickal-Cody Brundage Prediction & Pick

This will be the most lopsided fight at UFC 300 in terms of the betting lines, but I suspect we may see Bo Nickal run into some adversity for the first time in his career. Cody Brundage is a very tough customer and he's got a very durable chin. Nickal has yet to see an opponent with Brundage's type of success, so it'll be interesting to see him be met with some resistance for the first time.

Still, Bo Nickal will have the massive wrestling advantage here and if Brundage wants to upset, he'll need to keep this fight on the feet and give himself a chance to find the knockout punch. Both men have the power to end this fight early, so we should see respect for the striking on both sides.

All in all, we can't ignore the betting lines and we'll have to side with Bo Nickal to get the win. He's on a rapid rise to the top and until he's stopped, we'll have to keep riding him from a betting perspective as he finishes another impressive win.

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Final Bo Nickal-Cody Brundage Prediction & Pick: Bo Nickal (-2300); Wins by Submission (-140)