Former Penn State wrestling standout Bo Nickal made his anticipated professional mixed martial arts (MMA) debut Friday night at Jorge Masvidal’s iKon Fighting Championship 3 in Richmond, Virginia. The three-time NCAA Division I national champion ended up scoring a 33-second knockout over fellow debut middleweight John Noland.
Evident by the stoppage Nickal wasted little time in his debut. Even for an athlete of his caliber you might think a brief feeling out period would be in store. Unfortunately for Noland, Nickal wanted to put on a show in a hurry. He landed a heavy left hand that leveled Noland followed by a three-punch combo that put the finishing touches on a spectacular knockout.
Check out the video highlights below:
HAS ARRIVED!!! #iKONFC3
[ @iKONFights | | on #UFCFIGHTPASS ] pic.twitter.com/Lo4EOHkMEL
— UFC FIGHT PASS (@UFCFightPass) June 4, 2022
Nickal, 26, stated in the lead up to his pro debut that he believes he’s the best wrestler to ever transition into the sport of MMA. While the Penn State alum didn’t get a chance to showcase that tonight at least he showed levels to his game. Nickal seems to have some heavy power in his hands which only makes him a more intriguing prospect to watch moving forward.
On a side note, it’s nice to see Masvidal getting some up-and-coming talent on his cards. Nickal is a pretty big deal so kudos to “Gamebred.”