Bo Nickal is confident that a fight between him and Khamzat Chimaev would do massive numbers.
[autotag]Bo Nickal[/autotag] is confident that a fight between him and [autotag]Khamzat Chimaev[/autotag] would do massive numbers.
Both undefeated and boasting strong grappling bases, Nickal (7-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) has been angling to fight Chimaev (14-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) since he’s entered the UFC. The pair have exchanged words in the past, but Chimaev is far ahead of Nickal in the title race.
Nickal takes on former ONE Championship title holder Reiner De Ridder (19-2 MMA, 2-0 UFC) in a three-round middleweight bout May 3 at UFC on ESPN 67 from Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa. Meanwhile, Chimaev is expected to be next in line for UFC middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis.
While Nickal acknowledges that he’s not there just yet, he thinks a future fight with Chimaev would be a blockbuster.
“100 percent, that’s the most exciting fight there is in the division in my opinion,” Nickal said in an interview with Home of Fight. “I think as far as the fights in the UFC, you’ve got at the top: (Jon) Jones and (Tom) Aspinall, you’ve got Ilia (Topuria) potentially with Islam (Makhachev) or another 55’er, and then I think right after that, the most exciting fight next is me and Khamzat. That’s something that the fans need to see, that I want to see. I’m sure he wants it, as well, so I’ve just got to keep winning fights and we’ll make it happen.”
If Chimaev vs. Du Plessis is indeed next, Nickal thinks Chimaev’s grappling prowess will prove to be too much.
“Tough fight: I think that Dricus has the size. He probably has a little better cardio,” Nickal said. “I think striking is pretty even. Khamzat obviously has a massive advantage in the grappling. All that considered, I think I’d give the edge to Khamzat because of that wrestling advantage. We really haven’t seen – you just don’t get strong grapplers like that competing. You’re not used to that.
“No matter what Dricus is going to do, he’s not going to be able to game plan for that, and he’s not going to have felt that from anyone. Really the only two guys I believe in the sport that can give that feel are me and Khamzat. I think that gives him an edge, that gives him an advantage. The longer the fight goes, the bigger the advantage is for Dricus, but seeing Khamzat in his last fight against Whittaker, he was very impressive. All in all, it’s going to be a great fight, but I would give the edge to Khamzat.”
Reinier de Ridder welcomes Bo Nickal’s wrestling and wants to see if he can “get his neck” at UFC Des Moines.
[autotag]Reinier de Ridder[/autotag] welcomes [autotag]Bo Nickal[/autotag]’s wrestling at UFC on ESPN 67.
De Ridder (19-2 MMA, 2-0 UFC) meets Nickal (7-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) in a three-round middleweight bout May 3 at UFC on ESPN 67 from Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa. After submitting Kevin Holland at UFC 311 in January, the former ONE Championship champion called out multiple top contenders, including Khamzat Chimaev. While he didn’t get his wish, he still sees value in a win over Nickal.
“I’m happy with the fight,” De Ridder told MMA Junkie Radio. “It’s a good one. It’s not what I asked for. I asked for a top-five guy, but I think he’s a top-five name, right? He’s a very popular guy here in the States, and yeah, I’m happy with the matchup. See if we can make him grapple a bit, see if we can make him wrestle a bit. I think whatever happens, I might steal the spotlight in this one.”
Nickal picked up his most notable win to date when he defeated Paul Craig by unanimous decision at UFC 309. Nickal opted not to shoot a single takedown and only strike, but De Ridder hopes the standout wrestler doesn’t shy away from his bread and butter in their fight.
“I feel my wrestling is pretty decent, as well,” De Ridder said. “I really want to make him wrestle this time. Last fight he was just sticking and moving, throwing that wild overhand of his, and trying to make sure he didn’t wrestle at all. But let’s make it a wrestling match this time, see if we can get him to shoot a couple of times, see if I can get his neck.”
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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 67.
Bo Nickal sees Reinier de Ridder as a logical step up in competition at UFC on ESPN 67.
[autotag]Bo Nickal[/autotag] sees [autotag]Reinier de Ridder[/autotag] as a logical step up in competition.
Nickal (7-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) takes on former ONE Championship title holder De Ridder (19-2 MMA, 2-0 UFC) in a three-round middleweight bout May 3 at UFC on ESPN 67 from Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa.
Nickal revealed that he specifically wanted to fight De Ridder.
“This is a matchup that I asked for, so I feel like it’s a matchup that’s exciting for a lot of reasons,” Nickal said on “The Ariel Helwani Show.” “He’s had a lot of success in other organizations, had success in the UFC, and it’s a natural step up for me. I want to keep fighting better and better guys.
“This is a guy who has a proven track record and many, many finishes. It’s an interesting matchup. It’s a similar matchup to the Paul Craig fight, where he’s got more of a jiu-jitsu style. But I think obviously with him being on a win streak and also having a different type of style on the feet, I think it will prove to be an interesting fight, but I’m pumped up.”
Nickal is coming off his biggest win to date, a unanimous decision over formerly ranked light heavyweight Paul Craig at UFC 309. The standout wrestler wants to continue testing himself but admits it hasn’t been easy to find the right type of opponent.
“There are some people who want to fight me, and there are a lot who don’t,” Nickal said. “It seems like the people who want to fight me, it’s all upside for them, and they maybe want to gain some clout off my name. Then the people that, as I move up the ranks, that maybe have a lot to lose, they don’t want to take the matchup as much.
“In reality, there’re only about half a dozen people I could fight because of what makes sense with my career and my progression. At the end of the day, I asked for this fight. It was a fight that I wanted, and I don’t know that he wanted it, but the UFC is the one who makes the decisions. They like it, and we’ll do it.”
On the latest episode of “Spinning Back Clique,” the panel discusses Roman Dolidze’s big win, Nate Diaz’s potential UFC return, and more.
Check out this week’s “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly live show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts.
This week’s panel of Brian “Goze” Garcia, Mike Bohn and Danny Segura will join host “Gorgeous” George Garcia live at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) to discuss and debate the following topics:
[autotag]Roman Dolidze[/autotag] made a big step Saturday. The veteran middleweight contender defeated former title challenger [autotag]Marvin Vettori[/autotag] in a unanimous decision in the main event of UFC Fight Night 254. After the win, Dolidze (14-3 MMA, 8-3 UFC) called out [autotag]Israel Adesanya[/autotag] and [autotag]Robert Whittaker[/autotag]. Should the UFC consider those requests? We react to Dolidze’s win and what may come next for him.
From key bookings to bold comments, several things went down in last week’s new cycle. Top prospect [autotag]Bo Nickal[/autotag] (7-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) got his first ranked opponent, as he takes on former ONE dual champion [autotag]Reinier de Ridder[/autotag] (19-2 MMA, 2-0 UFC). Combat sports star [autotag]Nate Diaz[/autotag] discussed his interest in returning to the UFC, while also criticizing the promotion for its lack of star power. We react to the recent news.
The UFC returns to London this Saturday with UFC Fight Night 255. Former UFC welterweight champion [autotag]Leon Edwards[/autotag] takes on top contender [autotag]Sean Brady[/autotag] in the main event. We break down this key welterweight clash, along with other bouts on the card.
To close out the show, well be doing a live fan Q&A where you’ll get your chance to ask a question and have it answered by the panelist. To submit a question to the show, simply submit it on the YouTube Live Chat. The best submissions will be displayed.
Bo Nickal has opened up as a moderate favorite against his first ranked UFC opponent.
[autotag]Bo Nickal[/autotag] will take on his first UFC ranked opponent at UFC on ESPN 67.
Bo Nickal vs. Reinier de Ridder preview
Nickal (7-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) gets an opportunity to enter the UFC’s middleweight rankings after scoring octagon wins over Jamie Pickett, Val Woodburn, Cody Brundage, and most recently Paul Craig at UFC 309.
Former ONE Championship title holder De Ridder (19-2 MMA, 2-0 UFC) impressed in his first two UFC appearances when he scored back-to-back submission wins over Gerald Meerschaert and Kevin Holland.
Bo Nickal vs. Reinier de Ridder odds
According to DraftKings, undefeated Nickal has opened up as a moderate -218 favorite against De Ridder, who’s listed as a +180 underdog.
How to watch Bo Nickal vs. Reinier de Ridder at UFC Des Moines
The upcoming UFC Fight Night in Des Moines, Iowa has a star-studded lineup thus far.
[autotag]Bo Nickal[/autotag] is taking a step up to fight ranked competition.
At UFC on ESPN 67 on May 3 at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa, Nickal (7-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) will take on former ONE Championship champion [autotag]Reinier de Ridder[/autotag] (19-2 MMA, 2-0 UFC) in a three-round middleweight bout.
The UFC made the middleweight bout official early Friday after an initial report by Full Send MMA.
Nickal, 29, has skyrocketed up the divisional ladder since crossing over from the world of collegiate wrestling. The 2019 Dan Hodge Trophy winner, Nickal entered MMA with a decorated resume and aims to one day add UFC gold to his list of accomplishments.
After two wins on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2023, Nickal signed with the promotion. Finishes over Jamie Pickett, Val Woodburn, and Cody Brundage led him to a UFC 300 showdown vs. Paul Craig. While he won the fight fairly lopsidedly, Nickal was criticized by some fans for the low entertainment value of the bout.
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De Ridder, 34, established himself as one of ONE Championship’s biggest stars, capturing light heavyweight and heavyweight gold over the span of his nine-fight stint for the organization.
After he lost both titles to Anatoly Malykhin, de Ridder exited the promotion, citing inactivity and mistreatment. After a win for UAE Warriors, de Ridder signed with the UFC in 2024. He’s since picked up back-to-back submission wins over Gerald Meerschaert and Kevin Holland.
With the addition, the UFC Fight Night lineup for May 3 includes:
Cory Sandhagen vs. Deiveson Figueiredo
Reinier de Ridder vs. Bo Nickal
Mason Jones vs. Jeremy Stephens
Mario Bautista vs. Marlon Vera
Yana Santos vs. Miesha Tate
Montel Jackson vs. Daniel Marcos
Santiago Ponzinibbio vs. Daniel Rodriguez
Jeong Yeong Lee vs. Trevor Peek
Serhiy Sidey vs. Cameron Smotherman
Junior Tafa vs. Tuco Tokkos
Azamat Bekoev vs. Ryan Loder
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 67.
Bo Nickal remains supremely confident that he’d beat Khamzat Chimaev at his own game if they ever fight each other.
UFC middleweight standout [autotag]Bo Nickal[/autotag] remains confident in a potential matchup against [autotag]Khamzat Chimaev[/autotag].
Nickal (7-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC), who was a three-time national champion wrestler at Penn State, insists that Chimaev (14-0 MMA, 8-0 UFC) won’t be able to match him in grappling. He also thinks with Chimaev’s explosive starts, such as when he quickly submitted Robert Whittaker at UFC 308, he’ll eventually slow down when he fails to keep him on the mat.
”I don’t think there’s really a guy in the world at 86 kilos that can beat me in wrestling,” Nickal said on his YouTube channel. “I think that he’s (Chimaev) good, he’s got skills, but his biggest thing that’s going to crush him, especially in a fight against me is, dude, you’re going to get tired. You’re going to go like this (down), and I’m going to go like this (up) as the fight goes on.
“And you’re not going to take me down, which is your best attribute. So you’re going to have to strike with me. I’m probably going to be able to take you down. Maybe I don’t hold you down on the ground forever, but I can hold you down there for a little bit, and the longer the fight goes, the worse it’s going to get.”
Nickal, Chimaev ‘aligned from Jump Street’
Chael Sonnen, who recently revealed his wish list for 2025 on “Good Guy/Bad Guy” with Daniel Cormier, wants to see Chimaev vs. Nickal happen sooner rather than later, despite the pair being far apart in the UFC middleweight rankings.
”I’ve got to get Bo Nickal and Chimaev. I can’t keep these guys separated forever,” Sonnen said. “We’re told that we don’t get to see this fight because of the discrepancy in the rankings. Now Chimaev has put himself in a spot to go fight for a title.
“Those two have been aligned from Jump Street. … Chimaev’s undefeated, Bo’s undefeated. Chimaev’s good with the wrestling, Bo’s good with the wrestling, Chimaev’s got a bunch of fans, that’s up and coming as a future title contender, check, check, and check for Bo. I don’t know why we’re keeping them apart when we got guys under contract. Make the fight.”
Bo Nickal will not abandon his bread and butter on his rise to becoming a UFC champion.
[autotag]Bo Nickal[/autotag] says he abandoned his wrestling only for [autotag]Paul Craig[/autotag] at UFC 309.
Nickal received criticism for not resorting to his decorated wrestling background and instead choosing to stand with Craig in their middleweight bout earlier this month. He swept the scorecards to claim a lackluster unanimous decision win, but many pundits and fans weren’t impressed with his performance.
“My goal has always been to be UFC champion, pound-for-pound No. 1 fighter in the world,” Nickal said on the “Pound 4 Pound” podcast with Henry Cejudo and Kamaru Usman. “And so when I call out guys like Khamzat, that’s because I think that he’s really good, and I want to fight the best guys.
“I think that this last fight, even though people didn’t love the performance, was a great step in the right direction. I dominated a veteran, a guy who has 26 fights, for three straight rounds with just using striking. I didn’t even use my biggest asset. I think people now are saying, ‘Oh, Bo, he can’t wrestle’ this or that. Bro, trust me, I can wrestle.”
Nickal assures everyone that he plans on using his wrestling against future opponents. He insists that he implemented the correct game plan against Craig (17-9-1 MMA, 9-9-1 UFC), who finished former UFC champion Jamahal Hill and top contender Magomed Ankalaev off of his back.
“I want to keep dominating,” Nickal said. “I look at my potential for matchups in the future, and with Paul Craig, it’s like his best position’s off his back. So, I didn’t think it was the best situation to put him in his best position, but there’s really no other guys like that.
“So, you can guarantee that every single guy I’m going to be taking them down. There’s a very low chance – I’m not going to say zero because crazy things happen – I could slip on a banana peel or something. Very low chance that they’re taking me down, and if they do I’m getting up guaranteed.”
Daniel Cormier is surprised to see Bo Nickal upset at him over his UFC 309 commentary.
[autotag]Daniel Cormier[/autotag] is surprised to see [autotag]Bo Nickal[/autotag] upset at him over his UFC 309 commentary.
During Nickal’s fight with Paul Craig this past Saturday at Madison Square Garden in New York, Cormier said Nickal showed that he’s not ready for someone like Khamzat Chimaev. Nickal won the fight by unanimous decision, but did not attempt a single takedown.
Nickal (7-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) didn’t appreciate Cormier’s comments, but the former UFC dual-champion explains that the standout wrestler just needs more work before competing against the upper echelon at middleweight.
“Bo Nickal is a bit upset with the commentary during the fight last week,” Cormier said on his YouTube channel. “This one kind of took me a little bit by surprise because I do like Bo, and I do believe that at some point he’s going to be a champion. I just think that he’s a respectful guy. So, he’s trying to say things in the nicest way he possibly can, but I think he may have misunderstood what I’m trying to say. What I was more trying to say in this fight is, let’s not rush him into fights with people who are much more experienced. That is how good he has done in a short period of time.
“You know what’s the craziest thing? After this weekend, right after the fight, people called me and said I was a Bo apologist. I was being apologetic for his performance, almost making excuses for him. That’s crazy because it’s odd that a fighter can interpret it so much different than other people in the world. I thought he did really good. I have no problem with Bo Nickal. I believe he’s going to be fine. I don’t have a problem with the performance. I thought he fought really well, but there’s room for improvement. Let’s just take our time – we don’t need to rush him.”
From one week to three months, check out the full list of medical suspensions handed out following UFC 309 in New York.
Every fighter who competed this past Saturday at UFC 309 has been given a medical suspension following their bouts.
Jhonata Diniz, Mickey Gall and Bassil Hafez were knocked out in their fights and were among four fighters who received 90-day suspensions, which was the longest period issued. The fourth fighter who received 90 days was James Llontop, who went the distance with Mauricio Ruffy, but was on the receiving end of multiple damaging strikes over three rounds.
The event, which took place at Madison Square Garden in New York, was headlined by a heavyweight title fight between Jon Jones and former champion Stipe Miocic. Although he announced his retirement following the main event, Miocic was given a 60-day suspension for his TKO loss to Jones.
Wednesday, MMA Junkie acquired a full list of medical suspensions from the New York State Department of State, which oversaw the event. Check out the full list below. The suspensions ranged from a 7-day mandatory rest period to 90 days. Any fighter given 30-90 days may return sooner if cleared by a doctor (unless noted otherwise).
Eduarda Moura def. Veronica Hardy
Nov 16, 2024; New York, NY, USA; Veronica Hardy (red gloves) fights Eduarda Moura (blue gloves) in the flyweight bout during UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
[autotag]Eduarda Moura[/autotag]: 7 days mandatory rest
[autotag]Veronica Hardy[/autotag]: 7 days mandatory rest
Oban Elliott def. Bassil Hafez
Ò(Editors Note: Graphic Content, Blood)Ó Nov 16, 2024; New York, NY, USA; Bassil Hafez (red gloves) fights Oban Elliott (blue gloves) in the welterweight bout during UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
[autotag]Bassil Hafez[/autotag]: 90-day suspension with neurology clearance
Ramiz Brahimaj def. Mickey Gall
Ramiz Brahimaj def Mickey Gall UFC 309
[autotag]Ramiz Brahimaj[/autotag]: 7 days mandatory rest
[autotag]Mickey Gall[/autotag]: 90-day suspension with neurology clearance
Marcin Tybura def. Jhonata Diniz
Ò(Editors Note: Graphic Content, Blood)Ó Nov 16, 2024; New York, NY, USA; Jhonata Diniz (blue gloves) reacts after losing to Marcin Tybura (red gloves, not pictured) in the Heavyweight bout during UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
[autotag]Marcin Tybura[/autotag]: 7 days mandatory rest
Ò(Editors Note: Graphic Content, Blood)Ó Nov 16, 2024; New York, NY, USA; David Onama (red gloves) fights Roberto Romero (blue gloves) in the lightweight bout during UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Nov 16, 2024; New York, NY, USA; Jonathan Martinez (red gloves) fights Marcus Mcghee (blue gloves) in the bantamweight bout during UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
[autotag]Jonathan Martinez[/autotag]: 7 days mandatory rest
Mauricio Ruffy def. James Llontop
Ò(Editors Note: Graphic Content, Blood)Ó Nov 16, 2024; New York, NY, USA; Mauricio Ruffy (red gloves) fights James Llontop (blue gloves) in the catchweight bout during UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Nov 16, 2024; New York, NY, USA; Viviane Araujo (red gloves) fights Karine Silva (blue gloves) in the WomenÕs Flyweight bout during UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – NOVEMBER 16: (R-L) Bo Nickal of the United States of America punches Paul Craig of Scotland in a middleweight fight during the UFC 309 event at Madison Square Garden on November 16, 2024 in New York City. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
[autotag]Bo Nickal[/autotag]: 7 days mandatory rest
[autotag]Paul Craig[/autotag]: 30-day suspension
Charles Oliveira def. Michael Chandler
Nov 16, 2024; New York, NY, USA; Charles Oliveira (red gloves) fights Michael Chandler (blue gloves) in the lightweight bout during UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
UFC Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones (R) fights challenger Stipe Miocic during their heavyweight title bout at Madison Square Garden in New York, on November 16, 2024. (Photo by Kena Betancur / AFP) (Photo by KENA BETANCUR/AFP via Getty Images)
[autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag]: 7 days mandatory rest
[autotag]Jim Miller[/autotag]: 7 days mandatory rest
