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Riding high off his victory over Paul Craig at UFC 309, Bo Nickal is already charting his course toward tougher competition. The three-time NCAA champion wrestler is keen to test himself against ranked fighters in the middleweight division but doesn’t expect the UFC to pair him with fellow unbeaten prospect Shara "Bullet" Magomedov anytime soon.
“They wouldn’t match it up,” Nickal explained on the Pound-for-Pound podcast. “It would be an easy fight, but for me, there’s no problem in that fight. But let’s talk about it realistically.”
While the matchup remains unlikely, Nickal is eager to face a variety of opponents currently occupying spots in the UFC middleweight rankings. He highlighted fighters like Michel Pereira, Anthony Hernandez, Roman Kopylov, Roman Dolidze, and even Kevin Holland as potential challenges. Despite their skill sets, Nickal remains confident in his ability to outclass them as he refines his striking and jiu-jitsu game.
“Any guy in the top 15, from [No. 15 to 10], is a tough fight,” Nickal said. “There’s nobody in the UFC that isn’t good. You can take any of these guys, even these guys that I’m knocking out and destroying, put them on a regional promotion, and they’re an all-star. They’re the best guy in the entire organization.”
Nickal's performance against Paul Craig marked a turning point, as he spent a full 15 minutes in the octagon for the first time. This experience proved invaluable for the rising star, who recognizes the importance of gaining cage time to prepare for the higher-stakes battles ahead.
“I’ve been fighting MMA professionally just over two years,” Nickal reflected. “I started in the late summer of 2022, and now I’m the featured bout at [Madison Square Garden] the end of 2024. So where am I going to be at the end of 2026? I think the trajectory is really high.”
Balancing ambition with humility, Nickal continues to focus on building his skills and improving his fight IQ through rigorous training and film study. His ultimate goal? To dominate the UFC middleweight division and claim the pound-for-pound top spot.
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