Bo Nickal (Bloody Elbow)
Bo Nickal has already lined up his next potential opponent less than a week after making his UFC debut
Bo Nickal aced his first real test in the UFC by submitting Jamie Pickett at UFC 285. After a successful collegiate wrestling career at Penn State, he has continued his unbeaten streak in mixed martial arts.
Nickal hopes to fight UFC superstar Khamzat Chimaev in the near future. But he must first climb the ranks at middleweight if he wants a chance to fight the best at 185 pounds.
Tresean Gore, a middleweight fighter for the Ultimate Fighting Championship, has verbally committed to a bout with Bo Nickal on social media. Gore said on Instagram on Saturday (March 11, 2023) that the UFC had recently approached him about a possible fight with an up-and-coming 185-pound superstar.
“The [UFC] let me know about 4 or 5 days ago about this potential match up and I’m all in and agreed the moment the opportunity was offered to me!” Gore posted. “I’ve been waiting patiently on my return we both received each others name and that’s that! How do you guys feel about me and Bo July 10th international fight week! The night two legends Collide [Jon Jones] and [Stipe Miocic] how would y’all feel about us opening up that Pay per View because again I’m in!!! I respect [Bo Nickal] and the wrestling skills but this is no wrestling match!! I’m waiting for you bro LETS GOOO!!!! I will come the best I’ve ever been! Send the contract!!!”
Bo Nickal is widely considered to be the UFC’s next great thing, but that doesn’t mean he can’t benefit from criticism.
Though he was making his octagon debut this past weekend, Nickal was one of the most talked-about fighters on the event before he won at UFC 285. The 27-year-old Penn State alumnus signed with the UFC after only three professional bouts and three Collegiate wrestling championships, and he has since gone so far as to claim that he can defeat elite middleweights like Israel Adesanya.
Michael Chandler, a former UFC title challenger and current coach on The Ultimate Fighter, acknowledges Nickal’s popularity but advises him to focus on training instead of public speaking. Bo Nickal reacted to the comments in a recent episode of The MMA Hour, stating:
“Thank you – I think there’s a lot of wisdom in that statement. I think Michael Chandler is a fan of me. I think Michael Chandler wants me to win. First off he said my potential is exponential. So let’s listen to what he’s actually saying. He’s talking about it in the perspective of the fans. If I say, ‘Yo, give me Khamzat, I’ll violate this guy,’ 99 percent of MMA fans are going to say, ‘Bo Nickal is an idiot.’ They don’t know what they’re talking about.
“That’s the perspective I think Chandler is taking, especially when I hear you read the quote, he’s not hating on me at all. He’s not even a guy that I don’t think would do that, because he’s always been cool to me. He’s always been nice to me. He’s a wrestler.”
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