MMA Knockout

UFC 300 Fighter Bo Nickal Scoffs At Top Contender Amid UFC Title Shot Debate

Bo Nickal gave his thoughts on the current state of the UFC middleweight division.

Zain Bando

UFC 300 Fighter Bo Nickal Scoffs At Top Contender Amid UFC Title Shot Debate
UFC 300 Fighter Bo Nickal Scoffs At Top Contender Amid UFC Title Shot Debate /

Bo Nickal is one of the UFC's fastest-growing prospects to date.

The former Penn State All-American wrestler has taken the MMA world by storm. Already sitting at 5-0 in MMA, Nickal has the opportunity to impress on one of the sport's biggest stages — UFC 300 — as he will take on Cody Brundage in a middleweight contest on April 13 from Las Vegas, Nev.

On Nickal's podcast with The Doctor Camacho, he discussed his fight preparation for Brundage and, specifically, his thoughts on the UFC middleweight division post-UFC 297. The main event saw Dricus du Plessis become the promotion's fourth African champion, defeating Sean Strickland in a closely contested five-round decision.

UFC 300: Khabib Nurmagomedov's Coach Clears Air on Possible Blockbuster Return

Nickal said the UFC already has its idea about which direction it will take with du Plessis and the middleweight championship.

"I think Dricus wants [Israel] Adesanya," Nickal said. "That's what he said. His callout was Adesanya, or it could be Khamzat [Chimaev]. They've been talking about giving Khamzat the title [shot], but he has been hurt. He has been sick. Messed up in the hospital, broke his hand. All this crazy stuff."

Despite Chimaev's non-committal health issues, Nickal said the UFC might eventually have to bite the bullet.

UFC 300: 'BMF' Title Fight & the Return of Jim Miller Added to Las Vegas Showcase

"Dude, they're gonna give Khamzat the title shot for sure at some point," Nickal added. "I don't think that he's gonna have to fight again till he gets the title shot. Do I think he deserves that? No. He hasn't fought a single 85'er. He has fought less 85'ers than me. My guys aren't even on the roster anymore."

Chimaev's last bout came in October against former UFC welterweight champion Kamaru Usman, as the Dagestanian won a decision in Abu Dhabi.

Stick with MMA Knockout for more daily coverage of the UFC and MMA.

Follow MMA Knockout on Twitter and Facebook.

Published
Zain Bando
ZAIN BANDO

Zain Bando is a writer for MMA Knockout, part of the Sports Illustrated/Minute Media umbrella. He has covered combat sports since 2019 for notable outlets BJPenn.com and FanSided MMA. He also co-hosts a podcast called "The MMA Outsiders," part of the Empty The Bench Podcast Network, which airs Tuesday nights at 7:00 p.m. ET/4:00 p.m. PT. A Chicago suburban native, Bando has been enthralled with MMA since 2006 and has been fortunate to attend some of the most high-profile events in the sport's history, both as a fan and media member, including UFC 264, Bellator 297 and Kayla Harrison's PFL MMA debut. He is excited to take the next step in his combat sports writing journey and looks forward to continuing his following of the fight game for years to come. Bando can be reached via email at zainbando99@gmail.com or by social media @zainbando99

Home/UFC