Tag: bo nickal

Khamzat Chimaev Should Face Bo Nickal Rather Than Fighting For a Title Explains UFC Veteran

Khamzat Chimaev Should Face Bo Nickal Rather Than Fighting For a Title Explains UFC VeteranKhamzat Chimaev really should face Bo Nickal rather than fighting for the UFC middleweight title, at least according to…

Khamzat Chimaev Should Face Bo Nickal Rather Than Fighting For a Title Explains UFC Veteran

Khamzat Chimaev really should face Bo Nickal rather than fighting for the UFC middleweight title, at least according to one former UFC contender. Chael Sonnen, UFC veteran and current MMA analyst, has sparked debate by advocating for a blockbuster matchup between rising star Bo Nickal and UFC middleweight juggernaut Khamzat Chimaev. While Sonnen’s enthusiasm for the fight is palpable, many fans and analysts believe that Nickal is still far behind Chimaev in terms of experience and skill.

Khamzat Chimaev vs. Bo Nickal

“Bo Nickal versus Khamzat Chimaev,” Sonnen said in a recent interview. “There is nothing I enjoy speaking about more than what would happen with Bo and Khamzat. And I don’t just want to talk about the fight or three rounds versus five rounds.”

“I want the specifics,” Sonnen continued, “Who’s going to go for the takedown, and who’s going to get the other one. Are they going to go for a double leg? Is it going to be over-under? I like that entire argument. Which one is going to get tired first? Which one is going to try the takedown first? Everything about Bo versus Khamzat is exciting for me. Somebody’s ‘O’ has got to go—that line never stopped working in sports.”

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The matchup, as Sonnen frames it, would pit two undefeated middleweights with elite wrestling pedigrees against each other in a highly technical grappling battle. However, critics point out that Nickal, who transitioned to MMA in 2022, is still developing his overall skillset. Despite his rapid ascent and top ranking in the UFC middleweight division, Nickal’s level of opposition has not approached the caliber of Chimaev’s. Although, the US-born athlete does come from a storied collegiate wrestling career.

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Khamzat Chimaev has built a reputation as one of the most dominant and well-rounded fighters in the division. He is widely seen as next in line for a middleweight title shot. The UFC’s middleweight championship picture will likely become clearer once reigning champion Dricus du Plessis defends his belt against former titleholder Sean Strickland in an anticipated clash later this year.

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While Sonnen’s excitement over the hypothetical fight is contagious, many in the MMA community argue that the timing isn’t right. With Chimaev already on the cusp of title contention, pitting him against the still-rising Nickal could stall the momentum of one of the UFC’s most marketable stars.

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For now, Sonnen’s proposed showdown remains a tantalizing “what if” scenario. But as both fighters continue to climb the ranks of the middleweight division, the possibility of a future clash may not be as far-fetched as it seems.

UFC’s Joaquin Buckley Anoints Bo Nickal’s Striking “Trash”

Joaquin Buckley Calls Bo Nickal's Striking TrashUFC welterweight ‘New Mansa’ Joaquin Buckley was highly unimpressed with Bo Nickal’s UFC 309 over Paul Craig in which…

Joaquin Buckley Calls Bo Nickal's Striking Trash

UFC welterweight ‘New Mansa’ Joaquin Buckley was highly unimpressed with Bo Nickal’s UFC 309 over Paul Craig in which he tested his striking rather than utilizing his world-class wrestling.

Joaquin Buckley Calls Bo Nickal’s Striking Trash

The US-born Bo Nickal was a stand-out collegiate wrestler having won the top position three times over in NCAA Division 1 wrestling. He trialed for the US Olympic wrestling team but lost to gold medalist David Taylor. Nickal then switched his focus to MMA.

In his most recent fight, Bo Nickal did not rely on his wrestling instead he kept the fight on the feet and earned a unanimous decision win over Paul Craig at UFC 309. However, many people commented stating that the performance was underwhelming.

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NEW YORK, NEW YORK – NOVEMBER 16: (L-R) Bo Nickal of the United States of America punches Paul Craig of Scotland in a middleweight fight during the UFC 309 event at Madison Square Garden on November 16, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

Streaking welterweight Joaquin Buckley, of the USA, recently shared his thoughts on Nickal’s striking performance before he faces Colby Covington in the UFC Fight Night main event on December 14. ‘New Mansa’ spoke with James Lynch and explained:

“Yeah, that sh** trash. Yeah, that Bo Nickal, man—he should have gone to what he knows best, and that was the wrestling. But I’ll say, you know, Paul Craig has some good jiu-jitsu off his back. I guess Bo just didn’t want to test that and instead wanted to see what his striking was like.

“But [Bo Nickal]definitely got exposed on his feet. He definitely doesn’t know what he’s doing when it comes to that. I feel like if he learned or cleaned up his striking a little bit more, he could have gotten Paul Craig out of there. He could have knocked out Paul Craig.

“But, you know, it is what it is. He still has room to grow, and I feel like there’s a lot of things he needs to mature on before he tries to fight some of the best guys in the world. That’s just my opinion.”

Daniel Cormier Reacts to Bo Nickal’s Blistering Criticism of UFC 309 Commentary

Daniel Cormier Reacts to Bo Nickal's Blistering Criticism of UFC 309 CommentaryBo Nickal wasn’t happy about Daniel Cormier’s commentary during his scrap with Paul Craig at UFC 309 in New…

Daniel Cormier Reacts to Bo Nickal's Blistering Criticism of UFC 309 Commentary

Bo Nickal wasn’t happy about Daniel Cormier’s commentary during his scrap with Paul Craig at UFC 309 in New York City.

Nickal returned to the Octagon for a main card clash with ‘Bearjew’ inside Madison Square Garden, and while he secured his sixth straight win in MMA, it was a performance that left a lot of pundits underwhelmed.

Instead of utilizing the world-class wrestling that made him a three-time NCAA Division I national champion, Nickal opted to stand and trade with Craig, eeking out a fairly uneventful unanimous decision. During the three-round affair, fans inside the world’s most famous arena lambasted the former Nittany Lion, calling him overrated and showering him with boos.

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Cormier was also critical on commentary, noting that Nickal had a long way to go before he’d be ready for someone like Khamzat Chimaev — a fighter Nickal has called out since his days on Dana White’s Contender Series.

Nickal voiced his frustration over Cormier’s pro-Khamzat commentary which sparked a response from the UFC Hall of Famer.

“Bo Nickal is a bit upset about the commentary during the fight last week,” Cormier said on his YouTube channel. “I’ve got to be honest, this one took me a little bit by surprise, because I do like Bo, and I do believe that at some point he’s going to be a champion. Bo said he took offense to the commentary, but I think he’s a little misguided. I think he may have misunderstood what I’m trying to say.”

“What I’m more trying to say in this fight is let’s not rush him into fights with people that are much more experienced, much more battle-tested, much more ready to compete at the highest level,” Cormier continued. “Because it feels like one of those situations where a young guy who has shown so much promise gets a little bit fast-tracked. We have seen this time and time again, where an athlete comes onto the scene, they do so well initially that they get overwhelmed because you don’t know what to do with him.”

Cormier went on to clarify his stance on a potential showdown between Nickal and Chimaev in the future, noting that his criticism doesn’t mean Nickal won’t ever be ready to fight ‘Borz.’ He just isn’t ready right now.

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“People have already started to compare him to Khamzat Chimaev, how do they stack up, can he wrestle him, can he do this? I’m not saying he’s not ready for Khamzat because I don’t think he ever will be ready for Khamzat, right now he just isn’t,” Cormier added. “Bo Nickal has now seen the opposite side of fame. I wonder how he’s going to handle negativity coming his direction. I wasn’t negative.

“I have no problem with Bo Nickal. I believe he’s going to be fine. I don’t have a problem with the performance. I thought he fought really well, but there’s room for improvement. Everybody said it! Let’s just take our time. We don’t need to rush him, that’s all I’m saying.”

Bo Nickal Responds to Daniel Cormier’s Explanation

To Nickal’s credit, he was quick to squash any beef he had with Cormier after getting a detailed explanation from the former champ-champ.

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“Absolutely agree,” Nickal said on X while sharing Cormier’s comments. “I have of room for improvement and I appreciate the clarification @dc_mma thank you.”

Bo Nickal Reveals ‘Only Regret’ From UFC 309 Win Over Paul Craig

Despite being pleased with his performance this past weekend, UFC middleweight prospect Bo Nickal does wish he did one thing differently against Paul Craig. Nickal extended his undefeated record in the UFC and professional mixed martial arts as a whole at Saturday’s UFC 309 pay-per-view, where he got the better of experienced veteran Paul Craig […]

Despite being pleased with his performance this past weekend, UFC middleweight prospect Bo Nickal does wish he did one thing differently against Paul Craig.

Nickal extended his undefeated record in the UFC and professional mixed martial arts as a whole at Saturday’s UFC 309 pay-per-view, where he got the better of experienced veteran Paul Craig on the main card.

The formerly ranked light heavyweight and middleweight was expected to mark the toughest test of Nickal’s career to date owing to his renowned jiu-jitsu ability, but that ultimately didn’t rear its head on fight night.

Instead, the submission specialist and the decorated wrestler fought out three lackluster rounds on the feet, much to the dismay of the New York crowd in attendance.

But despite boos raining down on the Octagon following his unanimous decision win, Nickal has been firmly defending his display and expressing his joy at how he was able to emerge victorious from a striking battle.

However, the three-time NCAA Division I national champion and three-time Big Ten Conference champion out of Pennsylvania State University does have one regret, albeit a small one…

“I was winning the striking and I was happy to get experience in the cage doing something I’ve never done before,” Nickal wrote on X. “My only (small) regret is not being more aggressive in the 3rd round after I hurt him. I need to build a better system to attack when my opponent is hurt.”

Having added Craig’s name to a list of defeated UFC opponents that also includes Cody Brundage, Val Woodburn, and Jamie Pickett, Nickal has moved closer to breaking through into contention at 185 pounds.

But with his latest win leaving a lot to be desired in the eyes of some fans and pundits, it would appear that the 28-year-old still has some work to do before mixing it up with the division’s best.

Paul Craig Saw ‘Progress’ In UFC 309 Loss To Bo Nickal: ‘Every Setback Is Just Setup For A Comeback’

UFC middleweight Paul Craig hasn’t lost confidence despite falling to another defeat this past weekend. Craig marked the latest challenge for undefeated prospect Bo Nickal at Saturday’s UFC 309 pay-per-view. The Scotsman joined the likes of Cody Brundage and Val Woodburn on the list of those unable to blemish the decorated wrestler’s MMA record. The […]

UFC middleweight Paul Craig hasn’t lost confidence despite falling to another defeat this past weekend.

Craig marked the latest challenge for undefeated prospect Bo Nickal at Saturday’s UFC 309 pay-per-view. The Scotsman joined the likes of Cody Brundage and Val Woodburn on the list of those unable to blemish the decorated wrestler’s MMA record.

The two grappling specialists remained standing throughout their three-round affair, with Nickal edging a striking-only contest that frustrated the crowd in attendance at New York City’s Madison Square Garden.

For Craig, the result marked his third straight loss, leaves him 1-5 across his last six, and has pushed his middleweight record to a negative 1-4.

But although things may not have gone his way on fight night, “Bearjew” remains in good spirits and happy with the “progress” he felt was in display.

“Saturday night didn’t go as I envisioned, but every setback is just a setup for a comeback,” Craig wrote. “Progress is happening, and my resilience is my fuel. Here’s to the relentless pursuit of greatness! #bearjew #bearjewjitsu#setbacks #comebacks”

Craig, a formerly ranked light heavyweight contender, initially made a strong start at 185 pounds when he knocked out Andre Muniz. But a main event loss to Brendan Allen and brutal knockout setback at the hands of Caio Borralho left him out of the top 15.

Having fallen short of having his hand raised again, “Bearjew” is in desperate need of a rebound result next time out. And judging by his post-fight statement, he’s evidently confident that he’s moved in a good direction toward achieving that.

Chael Sonnen Says UFC Won’t Struggle To Find Willing Opponents For Bo Nickal After Latest Performance

With his fourth win inside the Octagon, Bo Nickal continued to climb up the middleweight ladder on Saturday night at UFC 309 whilst remaining undefeated. Despite this, his latest outing was the first to raise some concerns regarding his current level. The 28-year old rising star went the distance with Scotland’s Paul Craig in the […]

With his fourth win inside the Octagon, Bo Nickal continued to climb up the middleweight ladder on Saturday night at UFC 309 whilst remaining undefeated. Despite this, his latest outing was the first to raise some concerns regarding his current level.

The 28-year old rising star went the distance with Scotland’s Paul Craig in the first decision win of his career. Though he won all three rounds against his toughest opponent to date, it was the manner of the performance that many took issue with as the two grappling specialists engaged in a lacklustre striking bout for the entire duration.

It’s not necessarily a bad thing that Nickal showed that he could win the fight without using his wrestling but with Craig not being known for his striking skills either, it wasn’t a particularly impressive display. Chael Sonnen believes that this performance will remove the fear factor and mystique surrounding Nickal during his time in the promotion.

We see it happen time and time again where an exciting prospect comes up against their toughest test and is shown to not be an unbeatable phenom just quite yet. Though Sonnen admitted that Nickal needs time before making the next step up, he believes that the UFC will no longer have any problems matching him after he looked far more beatable than we’ve seen in the past.

“Those days are done, for now, they’re put on hold. The conversation that nobody has called out Bo Nickal, that will change. Come Monday, people will be calling for him. The idea that Bo is the boogeyman in the closet that Dana and Hunter just cannot find opponents for because there is so much respect put on Bo’s name mixed with fear… that is gone. They will find opponents for Bo very quickly now and it doesn’t need to be that way.”