Bo Nickal, a 5-0 fighter, has defended his spot on the UFC 300 main card, stating that it was a business decision by the UFC and not his own choice, and he believes that his performance will justify this decision.
Bo Nickal didn’t just waltz onto the UFC 300 main card. That’s a common misconception. The Saturday event in Las Vegas stirred up some controversy. Why? A 5-0 fighter with less than six minutes of total cage time is on the pay-per-view broadcast.
Meanwhile, former champions and top contenders are on the preliminary card. It’s a bit odd, isn’t it? Nickal is a clear favorite to win against Cody Brundage. This might explain why he’s on the main card.
Nickal didn’t make that decision, though. “It’s not really me that decides that,” he said during media day. People often quote him saying, “I’m a main card guy.” But, he believes the UFC made a business decision.
The opinions of others? Not super relevant to Nickal. He’s confident that in a year or two, people will see it as a no-brainer. “It will make a lot more sense,” he said.
Nickal was surprised when he found out he’d kick off the main card. He was happy just to compete at UFC 300. But, he wouldn’t complain about such an honor.
“I didn’t expect it,” he admitted. He sees it as a big honor to be on the card with so many amazing fighters. “I feel like it says a lot about me, about the UFC and our plans,” he said.
Nickal hasn’t spent much time thinking about his placement on the UFC 300 card. After demolishing his first two opponents in less than four minutes, he felt ready for a step up. He expects Brundage to provide that.
“I was excited for that,” he said about his opponent. He’s looking forward to competing against another wrestler. It’s a new challenge for him.
Brundage’s wrestling experience is nothing compared to Nickal’s. Nickal is a three-time Division 1 National Champion from Penn State. That’s why he’s considered one of the top prospects to ever join the UFC roster.
Nickal had quite a run-in with Olympic gold medalist Jordan Burroughs. Burroughs said he’d target the injured leg of Penn State national champion Carter Starocci. Nickal didn’t take that well. He called Burroughs a “freaking fraud.”
Nickal was surprised by the support he got from other athletes and coaches. He didn’t expect it. “Everybody is kind of on the same page as me,” he said.
Nickal will face Brundage on Saturday at UFC 300. Then, he might cross paths with Burroughs at the Olympic trials on April 19.