https://www.mmanews.com/news/dana-white-whats-next-bo-nickal-ufc-290
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UFC President Dana White doesnât think Bo Nickal should be pushed toward a Top 15 test after his latest quick Octagon outing.
Nickal made quick work of short-notice opponent Val Woodburn at UFC 290 to kick off the main card in Las Vegas. He was supposed to face Tresean Gore at UFC 290; who withdrew from the fight on daysâ notice after suffering an injury.
Nickal, despite being unfamiliar with Woodburnâs repertoire, finished Woodburn just 38 seconds into the fight. The former NCAA collegiate wrestling national champion showed off impressive striking technique en route to the victory.
Nickalâs first five professional fights, including back-to-back wins on Dana Whiteâs Contender Series, have lasted a combined 5:59. Despite coasting through his first few UFC tests, White plans to take things slow with the blue-chip prospect.
Dana White: UFC In âNo Rushâ To Push Bo Nickal Up The Ranks
During the UFC 290 post-fight press conference, White said the promotion is in no rush to push Nickal up the divisional ladder.
âHeâs a wrestlerâŚhe fought a kid, real kid, 7-0, and took him on short notice without getting to study him and train for him,â White said of Nickal. "This kidâs got knockout power and Bo looked damn good tonight. Every time this kid fights, he looks better and betterâŚ
âWhen you look at the way fights are made in boxing, this kidâs already way ahead of the game. Thereâs no hurry. Heâs young, heâs only got a few fights, but the reality is tooâŚwhen we brought Cain Velasquez in, maybe 3-0 or 4-0, so who knows?â
Nickal won his UFC debut earlier this year by defeating Jamie Pickett at UFC 285. He defeated Zachary Borrego and Donovan Beard on DWCS to earn a UFC contract.
Nickal won one fight at iKon FC 3 before earning a shot in the UFC. The 27-year-old is considered by many as one of the top MMA prospects in modern history after his incredible collegiate wrestling run.
Nickal has expressed lofty ambitions for his UFC career, including potential clashes with UFC Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya and Khamzat Chimaev. But, it could be a while until those dream matchups take place as he continues to improve his overall skillset.
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His hands and submissions arenât even close to being his best tool and both of those aspects look very clean.
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hope he gets back in the cage against soon.no need to rush fighting top 10 guys but stay active
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I need to see him again within a month - has he ever been hit yet�
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I would have NO idea how him vs Khazmat would go. I typically favor European freestyle over American Folk (Khabib/Justin) but Bo seems gifted with power too. I think KC holds the very significant sub advantage, but his chin and cardio is still to be proven vs a natural MW. I have no doubt Boâs cardio will be top tier, but he also has an unproven chin.
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The longer the fight goes the more I havor Bo. Hazmat has shit cardio
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He has shown that he is several levels above the level theyâve been booking him at. Itâd be a waste of time to rebook the Gore fight or keep him at that level. Heâs ready for top 20-25. He needs a Chris Curtis type of test. Someone proven that will be damn hard to finish.
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What about a 3 rounder? And we only saw Khazmatâs shit cardio after being drained to 170 and fighting against a fuckin beast coming at him. This would only be at 185.
He barely beat a former 155 fighter than has lost to a 145 fighter.
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You mean, he barely beat a lightweight that got knocked out by a featherweight, at welterweightâŚ
Yes, I agree.
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Hell no. Feed him L merchants on the second to last fights of their contracts. Heâll fight five times a year lol.
But with that said, heâs fought better competition, has much better submissions, and has been proven to be able to take punishment.
And donât get it twisted, I very clearly prefaced my opinion that I have no fuckin idea how the fight would play out.
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Someone like Eryk Anders would be a good test:
Experienced, athletic, but not super dangerous.
Or Julian Marquez:
A step below guys like Gregory Rodrigues and MAB, but formidable and a good gauge of just how good Nickal is.
Heâll probably fight someone like Jost Fremd:
A grappler, not super dangerous on the feet and probably willing to take the fight so not to risk rubbing the matchmakers the wrong way.
Maybe even rebook him against Tresean Gore while he keeps improving. He doesnât need to be tested just yet in my opinion. Heâs only had 5 pro fights and no one should be trying to rush him into a fight he isnât ready for like Bellator and his team did Aaron Pico.
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I/m thinking someone
between 10-15
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