The final week of Dana White’s Contender Series Season 6 is here, and Bo Nickal returns in week ten. Will the standout middleweight prospect secure a UFC deal in just his third pro fight? That will be the question, as his DWCS 56 opponent is battle-tested CFFC champ Donovan Beard.
Our picks and predictions are set, so for one last time this year, let’s take a look!
Middleweight: Bo Nickal Vs. Donovan Beard
Tale of the tape
26-years-old
6’1″
State College, Pennsylvania, US
ATT
2-0
1 KO/TKO, 1 Submission
Combined opponent’s record: 3-
Donovan Beard
32-years-old
6’2″
Hot Springs, Arkansas, US
Off the Chain MMA
7-1
2 KO/TKOs, 3 Submissions
Combined opponents’ record: 17-10
Pros and Cons
Bo Nickal
Pros
- Excellent wrestling
- Heavy hands
- Fast starter
- Physically strong
- Good grappling
- Submission threat
- Good left hand
Cons
- Hands too low/wide
- Throws single kicks
Donovan Beard
Pros
- Good wrestling
- Well-conditioned
- Good straight punches
- Submission threat
- Good ground and pound
Cons
- TDD lacks
- Throws single strikes
- Plodding footwork
Prediction: All the attention is on the NCAA Division I wrestler Bo Nickal, who is fighting for the second time on this season’s Contender Series.
Nickal blasted through Zach Borrego in August and is fighting a tougher guy this time out. The matchmakers know what they are doing with this fight though. On paper, Beard has a nice-looking record and is the CFFC champion. When you look into it however, Beard was getting dominated in that title fight until he pulled off the Hail Mary submission.
Beard’s biggest weakness is his takedown defense and what a terrible weakness to have against Nickal. This should be a walk in the park for Nickal and it should be another first-round finish for the NCAA wrestler.
