Bo Nickal is in no rush to get to the top of the UFC.
Nickal (6-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) faces his sternest test to date at UFC 309 where he’ll meet Paul Craig (17-8-1 MMA, 9-8-1 UFC) in a middleweight bout Nov. 16 at Madison Square Garden in New York. It’s been a slow rise for the 28-year-old former collegiate national champion wrestler as he wants to ensure that he’s ready for the upper echelon of the division.
Despite fighting three times in 2022, twice in 2023, and what will be a second time in 2024 at UFC 309, Nickal was criticized for not fighting more frequently.
One fan shared an incendiary post on X in which he argued that Nickal, having finished five of six professional wins in the first round, should be more active, calling him a “complete disappointment” so far in his UFC career.
“Bro you are a complete disappointment,” the fan wrote. “You finish all your fights within 2mins, take ZERO damage, yet you go home, sit down for MONTHS at a time while all your hype and momentum dies. Why? Makes no sense whatsoever. This is why nobody is out here looking for you, this is why when you’re not fighting nobody cares. You need to wake tf up because it’s so damn annoying”
That fan got a response from Nickal.
“I’m training brother,” Nickal wrote back. “Not like these other guys who sit on the couch when they’re not in camp. I’ve been fighting professionally since June of 2022. Anyone else near my position has over a decade of experience and 3-5x as many fights. I’m on my own path and having fun, just enjoy the show.”
I’m training brother. Not like these other guys who sit on the couch when they’re not in camp. I’ve been fighting professionally since June of 2022. Anyone else near my position has over a decade of experience and 3-5x as many fights. I’m on my own path and having fun, just enjoy… https://t.co/ejv0LmTvp2
— Bo Nickal (@NoBickal) September 25, 2024
In his most recent outing at UFC 300 in April, Nickal saw a second round for the first time in his career when he submitted Cody Brundage. He has finished all of his amateur and professional wins.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 309.
