Throughout the three or so decades of the UFC, few athletes have entered the organisation with the wrestling credentials of Bo Nickal.
The 28-year-old Penn State legend, who is 6-0 in his young mixed martial arts career, is generally regarded as one of the finest collegiate wrestlers of his generation, with his career showing three NCAA Division I national championship victories (and a finalist in another) as well as being a three-time Big Ten Conference champion.
As such, Nickal has on occasion made his feelings known about the influx of grapplers from various regions in Russia, such as Dagestan and Chechnya, who have in recent years been seeing significant success in the UFC and other organisations — and when it comes to reigning UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev, Nickal doesn’t believe he would have very much to offer in a traditional American wrestling environment.
Let’s consider a few things. Islam would have to wrestle 174 given the amount of weight he cuts. He comes from the mountains of Dagestan which historically produces some of the toughest people on the planet. Islam’s mma wrestling is the highest level, which already makes him a… https://t.co/vQBGMlEIup
— Bo Nickal (@NoBickal) August 21, 2024
Writing on social media early on Wednesday in response to a query as to how Makhachev might fare in an American Division I wrestling program, Nickal said: “Let’s consider a few things. Islam would have to wrestle 174 given the amount of weight he cuts. He comes from the mountains of Dagestan which historically produces some of the toughest people on the planet. Islam’s MMA wrestling is the highest level, which already makes him a formidable opponent.
“He’s got tons of competition experience, strength, endurance, and great technique, and a high IQ. He’s taken down everyone put in front of him with relative ease.”
However, Nickal concluded with: “With that being said, Carter Starocci wins by pin 1st period.”
Starocci, who like Nickal competed under the Penn State banner, is a four-time NCAA Division I champion, a two-time Big Ten Championship winner and an U23 World Championship bronze medalist.
Earlier this year, Nickal stated how he believed he would fare against the grappling of fellow UFC middleweight Khamzat Chimaev if and when they share the Octagon with one another.
“I think I’d do very similarly to him what I did to this last guy — take him down, rag-doll him, throw him around,” he said in April soon after his UFC 300 win over Cody Brundage.
“He’s not a big ‘85er, he gets tired. So is his first round going to be a little better, more competitive? Probably. But if that fight’s five rounds, I don’t think he makes it five rounds, if we’re being honest. And that’s, to me, kind of a general assessment. Will it be tough at the beginning? Is he going to come at me? Absolutely. But I don’t think he’s going be able to really hurt me or do anything that inflicts so much damage that I’m not going to able to just widen the gap on him as the fight continues.”
