UFC Fighter Backs Debutant Val Woodburn To Give Bo Nickal Trouble After Answering Short-Notice Call

The upcoming UFC 290 pay-per-view received a late adjustment early into fight week owing to the withdrawal of Tresean Gore.

The former TUF competitor was originally scheduled to open the main card against wrestling sensation Bo Nickal. But on Tuesday, news emerged that Gore had been forced to pull out through injury.

With that, an opponent search began, and despite an established UFC name in Caio Borralho seemingly raising his hand, the promotion sought rescue from a newcomer in Val Woodburn.

Woodburn, a former Combat Night Pro middleweight champion, boasts an undefeated 7-0 professional record, with five of those wins coming via knockout. But despite having an experience edge over Nickal, many are expecting a dominant display from the three-time NCAA Division I National Champion champion.

That’s reflected in the odds, with “The Animal” currently sitting as a mammoth +1200 underdog on BetOnline.ag.

 A ranked UFC middleweight and teammate of Woodburn’s, however, seemingly sees that figure as an exaggeration.

Curtis Warns Nickal: ‘It’s Hard To Double Leg A Fire Hydrant’

Chris Curtis, who occupies the #15 spot at 185 pounds and also appeared willing to step in on short notice against Nickal this Saturday, was one of many who reacted to news of Woodburn’s UFC call-up.

While some have branded the new matchup a lay-up for Nickal to continue his rise up the ladder and enhance the hype around his name, “The Action Man” has insisted that Woodburn has the size and tools to make thinks tricky.

“Happy for my guy Val. Good friend and teammate. He deserves his shot,” Curtis wrote. “It’s hard to double leg a fire hydrant, trust me I’ve tried and Val is coming to scrap.”

Happy for my guy Val. Good friend and teammate. He deserves his shot. It's hard to double leg a fire hydrant, trust me I've tried and Val is coming to scrap. https://t.co/5DC7kLqGXm

— Chris Curtis The Action Man (@Actionman513) July 4, 2023

Woodburn was initially scheduled to appear on this year’s edition of Dana White’s Contender Series later this summer. His planned opponent, Marco Tulio Silva, is now in need of a new rival as he pursues a UFC contract of his own.

Despite initially expecting to go through the promotion’s talent-signing series, many have branded Woodburn’s opportunity in the UFC as deserved. It remains to be seen whether he’ll make the most of it come fight night at T-Mobile Arena on Saturday.

Read Also: ‘Bo Should Be The Underdog Here’ – Twitter Reacts After 7-0 DWCS Fighter Steps Up To Fight Bo Nickal At UFC 290

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