There’s a fine line between confidence and cockiness, but Bo Nickal is aware of where he stands when it comes to the pedigree that he brings into his professional bout.
The three-time NCAA Division I National Champion wrestling champion has drawn a lot attention since declaring that he would be switching to mixed martial arts after the Olympic cycles in 2021.. Although he is not the only high-level wrestler who has become a major MMA prospect in the past, Nickal feels there’s something that sets him apart from the rest. His style and his relentless approach to the mats are what set him apart.
“Wrestling is in my blood,” Nickal said to MMA Fighting. “My grandfather wrestled in college. My father wrestled his whole life and coached his whole life. My pride and joy in wrestling is almost overwhelming. I’m sad that I had to end my career so early.
“I’m 26 years old and I stopped wrestling at 25. To stop that early, I had to lose a little bit of myself but I knew moving into the sport of MMA was what I was being drawn to and what I was more passionate about.”
Although Nickal admits that he still needs to know a lot about MMA since he began training only a little over a year ago full-time, he is confident in his ability to wrestle even compared with the greatest of them all.
That’s why the Penn State standout can’t help but flaunt his dominance in the sport that now serves as a launching pad to his new fight career even as he continues to root for every other wrestler competing alongside him.
“Coming in now, I know that undoubtedly in my opinion, I’m the best wrestler that’s come into the sport of MMA skill wise and I think my skills translate really well,” Nickal said. You are a high-level wrestler and I admire you. You can be sure that I will root for you.
” I don’t think anyone should be taken advantage of. High-level wrestlers, I root for you, but I also feel confident in my abilities and what I can achieve. Both in MMA, and in the wrestling. So there’s no doubt I’m the best wrestler to have entered the sport and again, not trying to take anything away from the guys who compete. Henry Cejudo, Kamaru Usman, another guy that comes to mind Aaron Pico, he’s a friend of mine, ton of respect for him, I root for all those guys. I want all those guys to win championships.”
Speaking of championships, Nickal has yet to throw his first punch as a professional yet he’s already had coaches and teammates calling him the future of the sport.
His debut comes under the IKON MMA banner where UFC star Jorge Masvidal serves as the promoter and he’s also been a frequent teammate alongside Nickal at American Top Team.
Masvidal has raved about Nickal in the past and he’s certainly not alone in estimating that the four-time All-American will eventually wear gold around his waist.
Now those types of expectations might weigh down some fighters but don’t ever count Nickal among them.
“I’ve kind of always felt that from a young age,” Nickal explained. “When I was 8 years old, people said I was going to be a state champion. When I was in high school, people said I was going to be a National Champion. This is not something new to me. It’s flattering. It’s a great honor to have people who are highly respected in the sport say that about me so early in my career.
“That’s a pretty cool thing but I don’t think anybody puts any more pressure on me than I put on myself. Because I love winning. That’s just my nature.”
To understand just how much Nickal expects out of himself, he doesn’t even believe winning a title in a promotion like the UFC would be enough for him.
In fact, he’s aiming much higher than that.
” “For me it’s not about being the future champion,” Nickal stated. “I want to be the future No. 1 pound-for-pound guy on the planet. Out of all the people who put pressure on my, I feel that I have placed the greatest pressure on myself. That’s why I choose to live with that pressure. I’m a big fan of the great moments .”
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