Bo Nickal Expects to Fight for UFC title in 2024 ahead of Contender Series debut
Bo Nickal eyes UFC gold
Dana White’s Contender Series may have its most anticipated episode ever when the third episode of season six goes down tonight from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
The reason for the anticipation has to do with one specific fighter who is involved in the featured bout of the evening as former wrestling standout Bo Nickal will look to earn a UFC contract tonight in just his second professional fight.
Nickal is former Dan Hodge Trophy winner and won three national championships while wrestling under Cael Sanderson at Penn State.
After an unsuccessful attempt at making the United States Olympic team, Nickal decided to turn his attention to MMA and American Top Team opened a new facility around Nickal and Penn State wrestling called American Top Team Happy Valley.
Since opening the gym, Nickal has competed in two amateur fights before turning pro in Jorge Masvidal’s iKON FC promotion in which he won his only professional fight to date.
Standing across the cage from Nickal will be former football player Zachary Borrego, who comes into the fight with similar MMA experience to Nickal with a 3-0 record. Borrego missed weight prior to the fight.
Even before tonight’s big event, Nickal could see himself wearing UFC gold in a relatively short period of time.
“I would say 2024,” Nickal told MMA reporter Shakiel Mahjouri. “Obviously, we’re not super far away from that. But I mean, this game goes fast. I’ve only fought one time, but I expect to have probably four fights by the end of this year and another five next year. So I think by the end of 2023, it’s very feasible to see me at 10-0. Then it’s getting up to where I’m fighting top contenders and getting a title shot in 2024.”
Interview with Bo Nickal below:
