UFC CEO Dana White weighed in on the crowd’s hostile reaction to middleweight Bo Nickal’s win at UFC 309.
Dana White admitted UFC middleweight prospect Bo Nickal should probably slow down in his MMA pursuits after a lackluster performance at UFC 309.
Nickal defeated Paul Craig by unanimous decision at UFC 309 to remain unbeaten inside the cage. The former NCAA Division I wrestling superstar utilized an unorthodox approach against the grappling ace Craig to coast to a win on the judges’ scorecards.
Despite earning the biggest win of his young MMA career, the crowd wouldn’t shower Nickal with praises as the official decision was read. Chants of ‘Overrated!’ boomed throughout Madison Square Garden in the closing minutes of Nickal vs. Craig, targeted at the generational prospect.
Nickal’s cautious approach against Craig frustrated the masses in attendance. After a pair of quick finishes inside the Octagon, Nickal’s last two wins have included some snail-paced moments.
White has a plan in mind for Nickal after the boo birds overwhelmed the venue following his UFC 309 victory.
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Dana White admits Bo Nickal ‘needs work’ after UFC 309
During the UFC 309 post-fight press conference, White reacted to the crowd’s harsh response to Nickal’s victory.
“We’ve had these discussions with Bo, Bo needs work,” White said. “Bo’s an up-and-coming guy. I know he has big aspirations and wants to move faster than he should, but tonight showed…he’s still dominant, he won the whole fight, but he’s got work to do…
“And that’s alright, we’ll move him. When you’re in a position like bo is, there’s a lot of expectations.”
White didn’t get into details about his ongoing talks with Nickal about his career trajectory. But, he’ll likely face some lesser competition before testing himself against the middlweight elite, including his dream matchup with Khamzat Chimaev.
Before UFC 309, Nickal defeated Cody Brundage earlier this year at UFC 300 by second-round submission. While it was a slow-paced fight, Nickal demonstrated the ability to push through early adversity against the veteran Brundage.
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Bo Nickal’s UFC rise hits a speed bump at UFC 309
Nickal was heralded as the UFC’s next big superstar after back-to-back quick finishes on Dana White’s Contender Series. After Nickal finished his first DWCS opponent in just over a minute, White opted to give Nickal another chance to gain additional experience, submitting Donovan Beard in his second DWCS showcase.
Nickal quickly appeared on the UFC’s radar after a 33-second knockout in his MMA debut. He finished John Noland at Jorge Masvidal’s iKON FC 3 before appearing on DWCS just two months later.
Nickal’s elite wrestling skill set makes him a dangerous middleweight contender to reckon with for years to come. He was one of the most destructive forces in collegiate wrestling during his career at Penn State, winning multiple national championships on the mats.
White and the UFC matchmakers will revisit Nickal’s career trajectory after another slow performance at UFC 309. While Nickal’s talent is undeniable, it sounds like White will move carefully to build up one of the promotion’s brightest young stars.