Not only was he making his Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) debut, but his girlfriend accepted his proposal during the weigh-ins on Friday (see it here).
His frown was quickly turned upside down, as Misha Cirkunov imposed his brute strength on him during their bout on Saturday (Feb., 6, 2016) at UFC Fight Night 82 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Cirkunov landed a takedown in the second round, which was the beginning of the end, as Misha executed a painful neck crack that ultimately fractured Nicholson's jaw.
Now, Nicholson will undergo surgery to repair his busted up jaw, which may or may not be the same one he broke in a previous bout, according to UFC video president of operations, Dave Sholler's comments during the post-fight press conference (via MMA Junkie).