Bo knows when his next UFC fight will be, but it’s unclear who he’ll be fighting on November 9th at UFC 309.
Bo Nickal is headed to Madison Square Garden.
Everyone’s favorite three-time NCAA Division I national champion turned budding MMA superstar was last seen beating Cody Brundage in two rounds via submission at UFC 300 in June. That’s a pretty solid result, but Nickal wasn’t impressed with his performance. With great hype comes great responsibility, and Bo knows he needs to be crushing all these unranked opponents if the UFC keeps putting him in high-visibility spots on the promotion’s biggest cards.
Cards like UFC 309, which is set to be the UFC’s return to Madison Square Garden in New York City. That card is expected to feature the long-awaited Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic heavyweight title fight. And according to Nickal, he’ll be fighting there too.
| Bo Nickal claims he’ll be returning at #UFC309 at MSG on November 9th. pic.twitter.com/bjypmKjgjq
— MMA Orbit (@mma_orbit) July 6, 2024
“UFC 309, Madison Square Garden, New York City, NY,” Nickal wrote on an Instagram Story. “November 9th, 2024.”
As for who, that part was left unclear.
Interestingly enough, this won’t be the first time Nickal will be competing in Madison Square Garden. The 2016 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships were held in the Garden, and a young Bo Nickal made it all the way to the 174 pound finals before losing the gold to Myles Martin.
He would move up to 197 pounds and win his division three years straight. But that defeat must be frustrating, especially since it kept him from being one of the few four-time NCAA Division I champions ever.
He’ll have a chance to replace that Madison Square Garden memory with a happier one at UFC 309. While it’s our firm opinion that the time has come for Bo Nickal to face a legit top ten opponent, there’s been no indication from the UFC that they plan on rushing him into the deep waters at middleweight. Nickal is happy to let the UFC gently guide his career forward.
And why not? With these card placements and opponents, it’s clear Nickal has some serious Dana White Privilege.
So we’re hopeful November will see Nickal get tested with a tough opponent, but we wouldn’t bet on it. Who would you like to see Bo fight next, Maniacs? Let us know in the comments below.