Bo Nickal, a highly accomplished wrestler and UFC fighter, expressed his desire for more elite wrestlers, like Gable Steveson, to transition into MMA, believing that American collegiate wrestling could dominate the sport.
When Bo Nickal stepped into the UFC octagon for the first time, he was already a wrestling legend. A three-time NCAA Division I National Champion, no less! He dreams of seeing more athletes like him make the leap into MMA.
As he gears up for UFC 309, Nickal shared his hopes. More top-tier wrestlers should follow in the footsteps of folks like Gable Steveson. You know, the 2020 Olympic gold medalist who’s been training with Jon Jones for his big bout against Stipe Miocic.
“I would love that,” Nickal mentioned at UFC 309 media day. “Seeing high-level wrestlers transition to MMA? Absolutely! The past decade hasn’t seen the cream of the crop from collegiate wrestling making this move.”
Imagine someone like Gable Steveson joining the ranks—now that would be something! Nickal believes American collegiate wrestling could dominate MMA soon.
Nickal didn’t just talk about wrestling. He also opened up about his break between fights. Between UFC 300 and his upcoming match against Paul Craig at UFC 309, he’s been okay with some downtime. Oh, and he had a few thoughts on Khamzat Chimaev‘s recent victory over Robert Whittaker, pondering how long before he might face off against the Chechen powerhouse.