Tag: bo nickal

Bo Nickal Reacts To Fan Skepticism: “They Can Say What They Want… I Know Where I’m Headed In A Couple Years”

Bo NickalThe former 3x NCAA Division Champ, Bo Nickal, doesn’t care about the hate, as he sets his eyes on a UFC contract. Nickal made his professional MMA debut in June 2022, where he won via KO in 33 seconds against John Noland. This performance had the MMA world buzzing, and even caught the attention of […]

Bo Nickal

The former 3x NCAA Division Champ, Bo Nickal, doesn’t care about the hate, as he sets his eyes on a UFC contract.

Nickal made his professional MMA debut in June 2022, where he won via KO in 33 seconds against John Noland. This performance had the MMA world buzzing, and even caught the attention of UFC president, Dana White, who promptly offered him a contract for the Contender Series. 

And Bo Nickal doesn’t seem to be the kind of guy to let the pressure get to him, as he said in a recent interview:

“I’ve read some of it and heard different people saying different things, but I don’t really care. They can say whatever they want; it doesn’t really affect me at all. I know who I am as a person, I know my character, my values, things that are important to me.”

Bo Nickal Is Confident In His Future Trajectory

If you had the wrestling pedigree that Nickal possesses, you’d be confident, too. As mentioned earlier, he’s won the NCAA National Championships 3x, won gold in the U23 World Championships, another gold in the 2019 US National Championships, and finished his college wrestling career with an incredible 120-3 record.

When asked about his thoughts on the state of wrestling in MMA, Bo Nickal said:

“I think I exaggerated a little bit when I said most guys only have 10% of the wrestling I have. I think I gave them too much credit, they probably only have around 1%. All these guys can say whatever they want; I know where I’m headed, I know my trajectory.”

It’s rare to see someone with Bo Nickal’s wrestling history to look so natural on his feet, which is why many people think he could be the next big thing in the sport. But that’s a long way away, as he has many hurdles to climb before he can establish himself as a star. However, hard work has never deterred Nickal before. 

“I’m going to say what the truth is and if people think it’s me trash talking, ok, cool. I watch more film than anybody, I study more than anybody, I’m training harder than anybody, and I’m going to take care of me. Of course, people are always going to have something to say, but I know my trajectory, I know where I’m headed in a couple years.” (H/T UFC).

Bo Nickal is set to compete against Zachary Borrego on August 9, 2022. Borrego has a 4-0 record with 3 stoppage wins.

Bo Nickal Gives Honest Reaction To Contender Series Opportunity

Bo Nickal is thankful to compete on Dana White’s Contender Series so early in his transition from college wrestling to MMA. Nickal, a former NCAA wrestling national champion at Penn State, recently made his professional MMA debut at iKON FC last …

Bo Nickal is thankful to compete on Dana White’s Contender Series so early in his transition from college wrestling to MMA. Nickal, a former NCAA wrestling national champion at Penn State, recently made his professional MMA debut at iKON FC last month, earning a first-round knockout over John Noland. After a successful first MMA fight,…

Continue Reading Bo Nickal Gives Honest Reaction To Contender Series Opportunity at MMA News.

Bo Nickal Predicts He Will Be Pound-For-Pound #1 Within The Next Five Years

Bo NickalOff the back of an impressive, quickfire knockout win in his professional mixed marital arts debut last weekend, Bo Nickal has claimed that within five years time, he will be a champion in a major organization, as well as the pound-for-pound best fighter in professional mixed martial arts.  A three-time NCAA Division I All American […]

Bo Nickal

Off the back of an impressive, quickfire knockout win in his professional mixed marital arts debut last weekend, Bo Nickal has claimed that within five years time, he will be a champion in a major organization, as well as the pound-for-pound best fighter in professional mixed martial arts. 

A three-time NCAA Division I All American gold medalist in consecutive victories from 2017 to 2019, Nickal, a native of Colorado, currently plys his trade at American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Florida – training alongside the likes of Jorge Masvidal, and former interim titleholder, Dustin Poirier extensively. 

Making his highly-anticipated professional mixed martial arts debut at iKON Fighting Championship 3 last weekend in Richmond, Virginia – landing a thunderous first round knockout win over John Noland in just 33 seconds of the first frame. 

Bo Nickal makes a bold prediction for his professional MMA career

Setting a massive target for himself, Nickal revealed during an appearance on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani – that within the next five years, his goal is to become the best pound-for-pound mixed martial artist across the sport.

“I’m out to be the number one pound-for-pound fighter in the world,” Bo Nickal said. “That’s what I wanna do – that’s what I’m here to do. And that’s what I’m gonna accomplish in the next five years.” 

“We all know where I have to be (organization), in order to do that,” Bo Nickal said when asked if he had a preference for which promotion he competed for. “Now, will I be there right away? Will that be the first organization I sign with? I don’t know – it’s hard to say. But, that’s where I will be, without a doubt, in the next half a decade.” 

A gold medalist at the 2019 U23 World Championships in freestyle wrestling in Budapest, Hungry – Nickal made his professional mixed martial arts debut at the middleweight limit. 

Video – Former Wrestling National Champ Bo Nickal Flattens Opponent in MMA Debut

Bo NickalLast night former Penn State wrestling three-time national champion Bo Nickal made the transition to professional mixed martial arts effortless when scoring a highlight-reel knockout over John Noland. Nickal entered the bout at Jorge Masvidal’s iKON FC 3 event with a ton of hype behind him, and he furthered his stock with his thirty-second debut […]

Bo Nickal

Last night former Penn State wrestling three-time national champion Bo Nickal made the transition to professional mixed martial arts effortless when scoring a highlight-reel knockout over John Noland.

Nickal entered the bout at Jorge Masvidal’s iKON FC 3 event with a ton of hype behind him, and he furthered his stock with his thirty-second debut victory.

From the opening bell, it looked like it was going to be Nickal’s night. The wrestler threw multiple kicks and searched for his target. Still, it was a left from Nickel that stopped Noland in his tracks. Noland, who was stunned, and returned to his feet was met with a beautifully timed uppercut followed by a straight left and a crisp right before dropping to the canvas again, which resulted at the end of the contest.

Watch Bo Nickal Flatten John Noland at iKON FC 3

Bo Nickal made it clear in his post-fight interview that he wasn’t competing in MMA to make up numbers and had his eyes set on the best fighters and promotions in the world.

“Every single middleweight on the planet, I don’t care what organization you’re in, UFC, Bellator, PFL – doesn’t matter, I’m coming for all y’all,” Nickal said post-fight.

“I’m trying to hold it down for all my wrestlers out there,” Nickal continued. “I love y’all, and wrestling’s taking over for sure.”

Nickal, 26, has the backing of UFC welterweight Jorge Masvidal, who first laid eyes on him back in 2014 and was always hopeful Nickal would make the transition from wrestling to MMA. Now it’s here, Masvidal has high expectations.

“I’m putting a lot of weight on him, but he’s kind of like the new future of MMA, in a way,” Masvidal said. “He’s got a great wrestling background, he can’t get held down by nobody, and he grew up watching MMA and wanting to do it. He’s already familiar with striking, he’s not foreign to striking like we saw in his last fight.”

What do you make of Bo Nickal’s MMA debut?