Bo Nickal finished middleweight Zack Borrego in just 62 seconds at Tuesday’s Dana White‘s Contender Series to improve to 2-0, but he wasn’t offered a deal with the UFC.
Instead, even though he’s clearly impressed by his victory inside the octagon at the UFC APEX in Las Vegas, Dana White wants to give him another test first.
Speaking with the media following the third DWCS card of the 2022 season, White remembered that very few people have entered the UFC so unexperienced in terms of MMA, and Nickal’s history in wrestling contributed with him getting the shot.
“He’s 1-0, 2-0 now, fought a kid that was 3-0, made it look really easy,” White said. We’ll give him one more test and we’ll get him a fight. He passes with flying colors and is brought in to fight at the UFC. I think only one guy has come in at like 1-0 and did anything and I think it was Brock (Lesnar), and to be honest with you, I don’t remember. Brock was something like that. So, yeah, he’s a stud. … If he wasn’t who he is and if wasn’t a 3,000 to 1 favorite, I would never sign him at 1-0. I wouldn’t do it.”
“I don’t know what else he could have done to look any better,” he continued. White stated, “He was absolutely amazing.” “The only reason I didn’t sign him tonight is because he’s 2-0 now. Like I said, we got eight more weeks of this. Why not have him fight here again, you know what I mean? This just makes perfect .”
sense.
White stated that he had not seen anything about Nickal before Tuesday’s show, however UFC matchmakers wanted him to compete for a deal.
“[The matchmakers] brought him in,” White said. They clearly think that he is ready. He looks ready. But why not give him one more fight? It’s not my first fight like that.
“He fought a kid that’s 3-0 with two knockouts and one decision and he made it look really easy. You know the kid is very talented. I can tell that most of you are very bummed out that I did not sign him tonight, but, relax, he will fight again on the Contender and more than likely get signed. He looked absolutely amazing tonight. He looked f***ing incredible.”
