Tag: bo nickal

Bo Nickal Says He Won’t Avoid Grappling With Paul Craig To Test His Own Jiu-Jitsu

Bo Nickal is back at UFC 309 where he looks to secure his fourth win inside the Octagon against his toughest opponent to date. The undefeated middleweight super prospect will be making the walk at Madison Square Garden to face off with a fellow specialist at 185-pounds. Whilst Nickal brings a wrestling pedigree to the […]

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Bo Nickal is back at UFC 309 where he looks to secure his fourth win inside the Octagon against his toughest opponent to date. The undefeated middleweight super prospect will be making the walk at Madison Square Garden to face off with a fellow specialist at 185-pounds.

Whilst Nickal brings a wrestling pedigree to the table that very few can match, the same can be said for the jiu-jitsu skills of Scotland’s Paul Craig. Though both men have put a lot of work into rounding out their games, it’s clear that this is where both men excel.

In 26 pro fights, Craig has finished half of them by submission and rather than having an approach like Charles Oliveira for example, many of those wins in the UFC have come off of his back when opponents try to land ground and pound from the top position.

In a recent interview with Demetrious Johnson on The MightyCast, Nickal spoke about preparing for an opponent that is so dangerous in one specific area. Though he believes he’s been able to adapt to jiu-jitsu very quickly, he’s still very young in his MMA career.

This doesn’t discourage him from wanting to test himself against a dangerous grappler Craig like who has submitted elite fighters in the Octagon in the past. In fact, it’s something that he looks forward to in this fight even though he believes he holds the striking advantage in this match-up.

“I think that I have an advantage on the feet but I also think that it would be nice to be able to show my improvements on the ground in my jiu-jitsu game and to be able to compete against a guy like that and just kind of challenge myself, you know. I think that again, there’s problems that he poses and it’s definitely an unusual maybe unorthodox type of style, you don’t see many guys pulling guard anymore. You don’t see guys throwing up triangles and throwing up armbars but I feel prepared.” 

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What’s Next After UFC 308? Full Confirmed UFC 309 Main Card For MSG On Nov. 16

UFC 308 is in the books, meaning attention will soon turn to the mixed martial arts leader’s next pay-per-view offering, UFC 309 in New York City. The promotion was in Abu Dhabi last week, where the Etihad Arena played host to a number of intriguing matchups for its latest major card in the Middle East. Of […]

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UFC 308 is in the books, meaning attention will soon turn to the mixed martial arts leader’s next pay-per-view offering, UFC 309 in New York City.

The promotion was in Abu Dhabi last week, where the Etihad Arena played host to a number of intriguing matchups for its latest major card in the Middle East. Of note were headline wins for Ilia Topuria and Khamzat Chimaev, as well as important victories for Magomed Ankalaev, Lerone Murphy, and Shara Magomedov.

While the aftermath of the October 26 card is currently the talk of the town, it won’t be long until focus sways to the next PPV, and from the featherweight title picture to the heavyweight championship conversation.

At UFC 309, set for the iconic Madison Square Garden in New York City on November 16, reigning kingpin Jon Jones will compete for the first time this year in defense of his gold. Following a submission of Ciryl Gane to capture the crown, “Bones” will finally face the challenge of returning legend Stipe Miocic 20 months later.

Stakes will also be high in the co-headliner, as former lightweight champ Charles Oliveira looks to bounce back from his UFC 300 loss. To insert himself back into the title picture at 155 pounds, “Do Bronx” must get the better of the always entertaining Michael Chandler for the second time.

Nickal, Weidman, Silva Set The Stage For High-Profile Headliners At UFC 309

Before Jones defends his belt and Oliveira runs it back with Chandler, a number of other notable names will take to the Octagon looking to make the most of their position on the major UFC 309 card.

That includes fast-rising flyweight Karine Silva, who gets her toughest assignment to date opposite longtime contender Viviane Araújo. Having won all four of her UFC fights and risen to #11 on the ladder following a submission of Maryna Moroz and decision victory over Ariane Lipski, “Killer” will look to break into title contention at the expense of Araújo, who lost to Natália Silva last time out.

Prior to that, the undefeated Bo Nickal gets his latest test. As he looks to build his skills up outside the rankings, the wrestling specialist will meet a submission artist who has previously held numbers next to his name at both 185 and 205 pounds in Scotland’s Paul Craig.

And opening the UFC 309 main card will be a former champion as veteran Chris Weidman looks to secure his first win streak since he moved to 13-0 with a successful title defense against Vitor Belfort back in 2015. Following on from a controversial victory over Bruno Silva, the 40-year-old will make the walk inside MSG to do battle with ex-American football linebacker Eryk Anders.

Those pairings have gotten the nod to feature on the main card over the light heavyweight clash between #6-ranked contender Nikita Krylov and the undefeated Azamat Murzakanov, which is currently slated to top the preliminary portion of the event.

See below for the full UFC 309 card, as it stands.

Main Card:

  • Light Heavyweight Championship Main Event: Jon Jones (C) vs. Stipe Miocic
  • Lightweight Co-Main Event: Charles Oliveira vs. Michael Chandler
  • Women’s Flyweight: Viviane Araújo vs. Karine Silva
  • Middleweight: Bo Nickal vs. Paul Craig
  • Middleweight: Eryk Anders vs. Chris Weidman

Preliminary Card:

  • Nikita Krylov vs. Azamat Murzakanov
  • Bantamweight: Jonathan Martinez vs. Marcus McGhee
  • Lightweight: Jim Miller vs. Damon Jackson

Early Preliminary Card:

  • Welterweight: Mickey Gall vs. Ramiz Brahimaj
  • Welterweight: Bassil Hafez vs. Oban Elliott
  • Women’s Flyweight: Veronica Hardy vs. Eduarda Moura
UFC 309's Nikita Krylov
Image: UFC.com

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Cody Brundage Reflects On Bo Nickal Defeat At UFC 300 Ahead Of Denver Return: ‘I Didn’t Feel Outclassed’

UFC middleweight Cody Brundage recently opened up about his loss to Bo Nickal at UFC 300. He expressed remorse over not fully capitalizing on the chance to perform at his best in one of the most crucial fights of his career to date. Brundage is poised for his comeback against Abdul Razak Alhassan on the […]

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UFC middleweight Cody Brundage recently opened up about his loss to Bo Nickal at UFC 300. He expressed remorse over not fully capitalizing on the chance to perform at his best in one of the most crucial fights of his career to date.

Brundage is poised for his comeback against Abdul Razak Alhassan on the main card of UFC Fight Night Denver, scheduled for this Saturday at the Ball Arena in Colorado.

Over the past 18 months, the South Carolina native has maintained a highly active schedule, with this weekend’s bout against Alhassan marking his sixth appearance in the Octagon since April 2023.

Brundage has had a challenging run, posting a 2-3 record during this period. His most recent outing was a second-round submission loss to Nickal at the UFC’s milestone event this past April.

The former LOC two-division champion demonstrated remarkable resilience and forced the wrestling specialist to exert extra effort, becoming the first fighter to push his opponent into the second round.

Despite being defeated, Brundage believes he was never completely outshone by Nickal. Instead, he attributes his loss to a few minute mistakes that proved costly…

Brundage Laments Lost Opportunity Against Nickal, Asserts Minor Adjustments Could Have Changed Outcome

During a recent interview with InsideFighting, Brundage pondered his defeat against Nickal and also expressed frustration at not securing a victory at UFC 300, recognizing the lost chance to shine on such a significant stage.

“I mean, it definitely was a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Brundage said. “It was cool; it was such a great opportunity. I wish I would have cashed in on it and taken advantage of it.”

The 30-year-old went on to commend Nickal for his impressive performance, admitting that a few critical errors on his part ultimately precipitated his defeat.

“I didn’t feel outclassed when I was in the fight. I just think I got little overzealous. I didn’t keep my composure as well as I probably should have and that led to him having some success, and props to him, you know, he was able to finish the fight.

“I could have represented myself even a little bit better than I (did), but as far as the experience, it was awesome.”

Brundage made his promotional debut at UFC 266 in September 2021, where he suffered a decision loss to Nick Maximov. To date, he has struggled to leave a lasting impression in the UFC, securing only four wins out of his nine fights.

Continue Reading Cody Brundage Reflects On Bo Nickal Defeat At UFC 300 Ahead Of Denver Return: ‘I Didn’t Feel Outclassed’ at MMA News.

Shara ‘Bullet’ Magomedov agrees to Bo Nickal fight after UFC Saudi Arabia: ‘He has good wrestling’

Shara Bullet Magomedov agrees to Bo Nickal fight after UFC Saudi Arabia he has good wrestlingAfter last night’s sophomore Octagon victory in Riyadh, surging middleweight prospect, Shara ‘Bullet’ Magomedov has agreed to take on…

Shara Bullet Magomedov agrees to Bo Nickal fight after UFC Saudi Arabia he has good wrestling

After last night’s sophomore Octagon victory in Riyadh, surging middleweight prospect, Shara ‘Bullet’ Magomedov has agreed to take on fellow highly-touted challenger, Bo Nickal following a call out – praising the Colorado star’s wrestling ability.

Magomedov, who made his promotional bow last year at UFC 294, earned a decision win over Bruno Silva in Abu Dhabi – before taking on the Brazilian’s compatriot, Antonio Trocoli on short-notice overnight in Saudi Arabia, courtesy of a third round knockout win.

Shara 'Bullet' Magomedov lands third round knockout win over Antonio Troloci at UFC Saudi Arabia

And improving to 13-0 as a result, the Makhackala native has landed himself on the radar of the above-mentioned, Nickal – who most recently enjoyed a second round rear-naked choke win over Cody Brundage on the monumental UFC 300 card back in April. 

Shara ‘Bullet’ Magomedov welcomes Bo Nickal clash after UFC Saudi Arabia

Staking his claim for a fight with the Russian ace after his knockout win over Trocoli, Nickal’s call out appeared to grab the attention of Magomedov, who described a potential pairing as an “interesting fight” for the duo.

Shara Bullet 3 1

“Yes, Bo Nickal is an interesting opponent,” Shara ‘Bullet’ Magomedov told assembled media after UFC Saudi Arabia. “Interesting fight – interesting opponent. He has good wrestling. Wrestling now for me, [is] no problem. I’m from Dagestani you know, brother. Russia – Russian men [are] icemen. No problem [with] wrestling, takedowns no problem. Dangerous damage: elbow, knee – let’s go.” 

As for Nickal, the wrestling ace claimed he was unable to land himself a short-notice fight with former middleweight champion, Robert Whittaker atop last night’s card – failing to respond in time to the promotion’s short-notice offer.

Bo Nickal UFC 300 2

Headlining the promotion’s premiere outing in Riyadh, ex-champion, Whittaker made lightwork of the seven-fight winning spree of Ikram Aliskerov, finishing the Russian with a brutal first round uppercut knockout win in Saudi Arabia.

Who wins in a future fight: Shara ‘Bullet’ Magomedov or Bo Nickal?

Bo Nickal mocks Khamzat Chimaev amid UFC Saudi Arabia exit: ‘Just don’t get sick, that’s what I do’

Bo Nickal mocks Khamzat Chimaev for quitting UFC Saudi Arabia don't get sick that's what I doUber-prospect, Bo Nickal has again poked fun at unbeaten middleweight contender, Khamzat Chimaev following his latest withdrawal from a…

Bo Nickal mocks Khamzat Chimaev for quitting UFC Saudi Arabia don't get sick that's what I do

Uber-prospect, Bo Nickal has again poked fun at unbeaten middleweight contender, Khamzat Chimaev following his latest withdrawal from a scheduled premiere headliner in the UFC – urging the “violently ill” Chechen to simply refrain from “getting sick”.

Nickal, who has featured thrice under the banner of the UFC since his move from the Contender Series back in 2022, improving his record in mixed martial arts to 6-0 as a professional.

Khamzat Chimaev issues first statement since UFC Saudi Arabia withdrawal due to illness

Last time featuring against Cody Brundage in a main card opener on the monstrous UFC 300 card back in April, Nickal was forced to the second round for the first time in his promotional tenure, landing an eventual rear-naked choke submission win.

As for Chimaev, the current number ten ranked middleweight challenger was forced off this weekend’s UFC Fight Night Saudi Arabia card – seeing a headliner with former champion, Robert Whittaker shelved amid a reported case of food poisoning. 

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And seeing his fifth scheduled main event fight fall to the wayside – following prior pairings with Nate Diaz – and three separate matchups with welterweight best, Leon Edwards failing to come to fruition, Chimaev’s future is admittedly unclear according to UFC boss, Dana White.

Bo Nickal mocks Khamzat Chimaev once more

Enjoying a back-and-forth rivalry with fellow highly-touted star, Chimaev since his move to the UFC amid links to a future fight, the above-mentioned, Nickal mocked the Chechnya finisher for withdrawing from his comeback.

Bo Nickal stokes fan outcry over main card fight at UFC 300 I like that it makes people mad
Mandatory Credit: Cooper Neil – Zuffa LLC

“That dude (Khamzat Chimaev) is losing is aura a bit,” Bo Nickal said on his YouTube channel. “He just needs to keep winning and stop doing this crap [withdrawing from fights]. … That’s what I do, don’t get sick.”

“I don’t think he’s overtraining, I think he’s over partying,” Bo Nickal explained. “I don’t know, probably – I mean what else would it be? I just heard rumors about him and (Darren) Till and stuff like, crazy stuff.

Would you like to see Bo Nickal fight Khamzat Chimaev in the future?