lol he had one UFC fight at MW. Then Gilbert gave him all he could handle. Then he missed weight huge before fighting Nate Diaz, and the UFC still wants him to try to make 170. Why? The same reason they are hesitant to book Volk vs Islam, he is small for the weightclass.
Look at Paulo Costa calling him small and saying he was scared, also notice how he watches what he says about MWs. A big fan of Whittaker, doesn’t want to fight him etc.
Bo is not trying to get Khamzat to ask for the fight right now, Bo is getting the media and the fans talking and building his name in the sport. That is it at this point.
Nickal is on record saying he hopes to have 8-10 fights the UFC before he fights for the belt.
Bo knows the odds of him beating Chimaev only improve over the next couple years as he gets Chimaev level experience in the sport. Why would he want to fight Chimaev when the odds are best of Chimaev winning?
Oh… ok…
cool.
So anyways, he wants to fight Cumsock at some point
Whittaker was once a WW himself. Given the ability to stop cutting like crazy and maintaining the diet to make 170, he eventually became a MW.
We saw the same thing with Poirier and Oliveira, they started as FW’s in their early and mid 20’s and eventually had even more success as LW’s. Plenty of examples of fighters moving up in weight between the ages of 25-30, its not new.
After the Holland fight the media asked Dana if Chimaev should head to MW and he said something like he thinks so but it was Chimaev and his camp who wanted another crack at WW because unless they are lying… he wants to win the WW belt and then go after the MW belt.
Oh course he does not want the Whittaker fight while he is still in the portion of his career where he is making the cut to WW, a fight like that is something he would want after he is done with WW, that is just common sense.
Was Rumble Johnson looking to fight Anderson Silva for the MW title or take a fight with Chael at MW while he was still competing at WW in 2010 and trying to make that brutal cut 3x a year?
Of course he does not want to fight Costa and Whittaker while he is still having to cut to 170 that is just common sense.
Dana says a lot of things.
If someone misses weight that badly, especially claiming his body shut down, Dana usually would insist that he only fight at MW now.
They know Khamzat’s best chance at success is at 170 (Gilbert made this clear) and right now he is a big draw for them.
Bo Nickal is a good amount bigger than Khamzat, bring this post back up years from now when this fight never happens. Khamzat is a lanky WW.
Anderson Silva was once a lanky WW as well.
Guess we will just have to wait and see what happens. I expect Chimaev to fight for both the WW and MW title before he is done.
Mr arrogant 0 fights in the UFC promoting himself
If Khamzat won the WW belt, then won the MW belt, while Bo was making his rise at MW and then met him for a title fight it would be huge
170, 179, and 185. Conor has nothing on him.
A 3X D1 champion with balls and heart? He’s a handful right now.
Given the right grooming and fight building he could be great, and he’s got a marketable personality which will help. I’m excited for his debut.
Khamzat isn’t out wrestling Bo. Not close.
If khamzat was smart he would take this fight soon. Nickal is only going to improve
I don’t think either one out wrestles the other. It’ll become a kickboxing match
Probably 3 rounds of failed takedowns against the cage taking turns.
Bo is a lot bigger and a better wrestler. Bo most likely outwrestles him. I’m guessing fairly easily, but you never know.
This would be the MW version of black beast vs Ngannou.
We’ve already had Romero vs Adesanya
Get ready for part 2
Have we seen any of the Dagestain boys go up against any truly world class Wrestlers yet?
