Overview
- The middleweight bout is scheduled for Saturday, November 15 at Madison Square Garden, with sportsbooks opening Nickal around -160 to -180 and moving him as low as -220 at times.
- Vieira has held underdog lines between roughly +140 and +185, and betting previews rate a Nickal victory by TKO or decision as the most likely outcome.
- Nickal enters at 7-1 after his first professional loss by knockout to Reinier de Ridder earlier this year and says he quickly refocused following the setback.
- Vieira, a decorated BJJ world champion now 11-3, praised Nickal’s three-round striking against Paul Craig and says he trained for jiu-jitsu, striking and overall MMA.
- Nickal said he asked for this matchup and embraces the grappler-versus-grappler intrigue while emphasizing he will execute his own approach.