UFC middleweight contender Bo Nickal is set to return to his wrestling background as he awaits confirmation for his next appearance in the Octagon.
Nickal experienced one of the year`s most surprising defeats when he was knocked out by Reinier de Ridder at UFC Des Moines. Prior to this, the highly-touted MMA prospect had demonstrated dominance in his previous fights, including recent victories over Val Woodburn and Cody Brundage.
Nickal intends to step back into the Octagon later this year, although his opponent is yet to be determined. The loss to De Ridder significantly impacted Nickal`s push towards the middleweight top-15 rankings, but securing another win or two could help him advance closer to that goal.
In the interim, Nickal will leverage his exceptional wrestling skills as he prepares for his return to competitive sports on August 30th.
Bo Nickal Set for Wrestling Return
As announced by Nickal on The Ariel Helwani Show recently, he has signed a multi-fight agreement with the newly established wrestling promotion, Real American Freestyle. His first match for the organization is scheduled for August 30th against an opponent that has not yet been revealed.
“At the end of the day, my contract with the UFC is for fighting in MMA, but I believe there`s also space for me to compete in wrestling,” Nickal stated. “You see many guys participating in jiu-jitsu matches or other events. I simply have a strong drive to compete as often as possible, and realistically, with fighting, I`ve been having two bouts a year. I expect this trend to continue, which is fine with me. However, I`m 29 years old, in my prime, and incredibly eager to compete. The preparation for a wrestling match is vastly different from getting ready for a fight. I could step onto the mat right now without warming up and compete against the world`s best wrestlers.”
Real American Freestyle is led by WWE legend Hulk Hogan. The promotion`s inaugural event will take place in Cleveland, Ohio, on August 30th, though it is not confirmed whether Nickal will headline the card.
Before embarking on his MMA journey in 2022, Nickal was a prominent figure in freestyle wrestling. He is widely considered one of the most accomplished athletes in NCAA Division I wrestling history, having claimed three national championship titles while representing Penn State.
Nickal also shared that he is targeting a UFC return sometime in October or November. He did not mention any potential opponents for his comeback fight in the UFC, which is likely to be against another middleweight outside of the official rankings.
Nickal Reacts to Critics After First Loss
Nickal has addressed those who doubted him following his unexpected defeat at UFC Des Moines. Critics, including fellow UFC middleweight Joe Pyfer, have voiced criticism towards Nickal in recent months. Nickal recently indicated he plans on `keeping receipts` (remembering and responding to critics) as he enters this new phase of his MMA career.
Former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold went even further, describing Nickal as “pathetic” and “not a real fighter.” Rockhold has not competed in MMA since his loss to Paulo Costa at UFC 278.
Prior to his loss against De Ridder, Nickal secured two victories on Dana White’s Contender Series and maintained an undefeated record across seven professional MMA appearances. He made his official UFC debut against Jamie Pickett at UFC 285, winning via first-round submission.
