Very possible we see Chimaev vs Nickal for the MW title by end of 2023 or middle of 2024

It took Jones 2 years and 11 months after turning pro to win the title. Nickal has dreams of becoming the next Jones level fighter who rips through the competition and grabs the title as fast as possible per his post-fight interview with Sanko last night.

Even in a smaller talent pool like Bellator we just watched wrestlers like Pico and Ed Ruth fail to have that sort of dominant run through everyone. After years of work and dedication though, Pico is on the cusp of a title shot and a win over Kennedy on Oct 1st should mean we see him challenge the winner of Pitbull vs Borics for the title. I’m by no means saying Nickal has or will ever have Pico’s hands. Just talking about the unpredictable nature of how things go for elite athletes when they enter MMA.

Anyway, back to Nickal vs Chimaev. Chimaev turned pro four years ago and has now been in the UFC for two years. Will likely get a crack at the WW title in early 2023 after he destroys Diaz in Oct.

Up at MW: After going 2-1 in 2015/2016 in his first three MMA fights, Alex Pereira returned to MMA and entered the UFC in 2020 and its only taken him two years as a fulltime MMA fighter to get a crack at the UFC title. Adesanya spent 7 years in MMA before he was able to grab the UFC title.

Anyway, lets see how it goes but Chimaev vs Nickal for the title would not be a shocking MW title fight by the end of next year or in 2024. Anyway, Nickal and Alex Pereira just breathed a little life into the MW division that was feeling a little stale. Andre Muniz has as well. He just submitted Jacare last year and is now 7-0 in the UFC.

MW was getting boring with Adesanya, Brunson, Gastelum, Whittaker etc…

Anyway thats my prediction, Chimaev will defend the MW title vs Nickal within the next couple years.

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The loser- the fans

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Why is everyone on this bo nickals nuts, sorry don’t follow wrestling that much if at all.

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2-0 and OP is already setting up shop on his nuts. Ridiculous.

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Its not outlandish at all to say Chimaev vs Nickal is a real potential title fight in a year or two.

I enjoy watching high level wrestlers, BJJ guys, kickboxers and judoka transition to MMA and its always been a huge part of what makes MMA great.

Its hilarious you needed something to bitch and complain about so early in the morning, ridiculous.

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1 of the best prospects in the game right now. Also might be the best wrestler in the UFC once he makes it there.

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For sure Vettori had that close fight with Adesanya a few years ago but he lost to him a 2nd time last year. I do see he beat Holland and Costa in his last two wins and for sure at 28 you would have to imagine Vettori will be right there in the top 5 for the next few years.

I see he is booked vs Whittaker for Sep 3rd. Damn Whittaker himself is still just 31, assumed he was older as he has been in the UFC a decade now. Great fight.

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Whittaker is 11-0 at MW besides the Adesanya losses.
Vettori is 7-0-1 since 2017 besides the Adesanya losses.

You have to think the winner gets the next MW title shot but then again, UFC might give Adesanya an instant rematch if Pereira beats him and if Adesanya wins they may be unwilling to give Whittaker or Vettori a 3rd Adesanya fight right now. Who knows.

He really might be the best wrestler to ever enter MMA.

Now, please note that I’m saying the most credentialed wrestler ever to enter MMA, but maybe the best.

By that I mean he started training MMA right before he was entering his wrestling prime, and he was already a super high-level freestyle wrestler.

He was one guy away from the Olympics in freestyle, and the guy who beat him ended up being the gold medalist.

There’s an argument that he was the second or third best freestyle wrestler in the world at his weight. The guy ahead of him is 5 years older, so it’s very possible that in the next 2 to 3 years, he would have been America’s number one guy at that weight, and contending for world championships and Olympic medals.

I’ll continue, also, to beat the dead horse to remind people that freestyle wrestling isn’t even his primary style. He had been an American folk style wrestler his whole life, and had only just started to concentrate primarily on freestyle when he made the transition to MMA.

So, we will never get to know what his true freestyle wrestling peak was, he transitioned to MMA before he ever got there, but on the day he wrestled his last freestyle wrestling match, he was one of the best freestyle wrestlers in the world, and maybe the single best folk-style wrestler in the world (I’m open for arguments, but he’s at least in the conversation).

So when I say he was maybe the best wrestler ever to enter MMA, I mean that on the day of his first MMA fight, he was more skilled in wrestling than anyone else on the first day they entered MMA, when you take into account the fact that he’s just entering his athletic prime, and hasn’t slowed down at all, and is this super well-rounded wrestler.

The fact that he has jumped into the deep end with submission grappling as well and gave Gordon Ryan some work is also telling.

When you say “all around grappler”, it’s possible he’s the best all-around grappler in the world. Like if he went to ADCC, no fight there is ever going to the ground unless he decides so, it’s always going to take place on his terms.

Now, I understand that I’m being hyperbolic here… but maybe I’m not. He really is a prospect on the level of like Henry Cejudo, or Brock Lesnar, only he’s not entering MMA after having lost a step.

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Jones had it a bit easier imo. WW has a way deeper talent pool. Anything can happen though who knows

good post,I hope its a trend younger wrestlers in their peak enter MMA early

It will be pd3 vs nickal after khamzat wins gold at 85 and 70 and retires at his mothers request.

this is after pd3 mows through 85 and 205 in bellator and wins the vacant ufc 205lb after ankalaev retires to take a position in general kadyrovs circle

Khamzat would smash that ginger now or in 5 years

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Out of all the bullshit people the UFC has tried to push like Greg Hardy, Sean Malley and other dopes. Bo is very deserving of the hype and earned every bit of that for what he’s actually done in amateur wrestling. What’s all these others guys done except run their mouths bout being good, Bo didn’t need to run his mouth the Gold Medals and Trophies speak for themselves. For Christ sakes CM fucking Punk got hyped

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If he feels that way while training at ATT. It’s probably true. Also did you see him holding a envelope with his name on it before the Sanko interview.

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We are one step closer to the Chimaev vs Nickal MW title fight. Holland was 10-4 in the UFC and had only been finished once in the UFC and that was three years ago.

Prior to the Chimaev fight, Holland was the #7 ranked WW in the world via fightmatrix despite not having a UFC ranking as he has recently moved from MW to WW.

Nickal’s next CS fight is on Sep 27th vs Donovan Beard, CFFC MW champ who is currently ranked #354th in the world via fightmatrix.

My guess is we see Nickal’s main UFC debut in December or Jan.

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Thank you sir for the lengthy explanation! I was surprised when Dana didn’t sign him after his first fight on dwcs, I thought he looked great but I’m guessing uncle D is making sure he’s ready for the deep end right away. I’m curious to hear why you think he wasn’t signed.

Another step closer. Op doesn’t seem so crazy now does he lol

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Bo Nickal fights this Tuesday FYI