Bo Nickal calls out UFC middleweight champion Alex Pereira, ex-champ Israel Adesanya's grappling skill
Former Penn State three-time national champion Bo Nickal called out UFC middleweight champion Alex Pereira and ex-champ Israel Adesanya for their grappling skill. Nickal is one of the most decorated NCAA wrestlers of all time and is set to make his UFC debut March 4 at UFC 285.
Nickal is 3-0 in his professional career and won two fights on Dana White’s Contender Series, but is no stranger to championship pedigree. Pereira won the title over Adesanya November 12, 2022 after Adesanya’s run of dominance.
But Nickal called out both of their grappling skills and was never shy about his UFC title aspirations.
“That’s a relatively, I would say – I’m not going to say ‘easy’ fight, because he’s dangerous,” Nickal said of Pereira on The MMA Hour. “But as far styles go, that’s a great matchup for me. I’ve watched their fight a couple times, and the grappling (is where I’d win). The striking exchanges are super impressive – that goes without saying. They’re absolutely elite strikers. But when they get ahold of each other, it’s just almost, like, funny.
“Like, I’m laughing at how they’re moving and what they’re doing and stuff. And maybe they feel that way about me when I’m hitting pads and hitting the bag and stuff. But I just feel like, if I grabbed ahold of either of those guys, it wouldn’t go well for them. And I think everybody knows that, so that’s not something that’s a shocking statement or that’s pretty outlandish, in my opinion.”
Nickal is set to face Jamie Pickett in his debut next month on the same card as Jon Jones, who is considered by some as the sport’s greatest mixed martial artist. The former Penn State standout is scheduled to fight Pickett on the main card.
Nickal attempted to make the USA Olympic Wrestling Team in 2021, but fell short of a team spot to fellow former Penn State national champion David Taylor, who went on to win a gold medal last summer. Nickal fully turned his attention to MMA, opening up an American Top Team gym near Penn State’s campus, training regularly with UFC superstar Jorge Masvidal.
In his four seasons at Penn State, Nickal compiled a 120-3 record, won three NCAA titles (two at 184 pounds and one at 197 pounds), was a four-time All-American (national finalist in 2016 at 174 pounds) and finished his career on a 67-match winning streak.