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Penn State

Bo Nickal, Penn State All-American, earns dominating win in UFC pro debut

nate-mug-10.12.14by: Nate Bauer06/04/22NateBauerBWI
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Bo Nickal file photo (Photo by Justin K. Aller/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

Former Penn State All-American and three-time national champion wrestler Bo Nickal‘s transition from the mat to the octagon is complete. Making his MMA debut on Friday night at iKON FC 3, Nickal easily knocked out John Noland for the win.

And Nickal only needed 32 seconds to do it.

Dropping Noland with a wicked combination of kicks, jabs, and one left-handed haymaker, Nickal improved to 1-0 for his career with the knockout.

Bo Nickal’s debut UFC knockout

Next steps

Now 26 years old, Nickal’s transition from his place as one of the country’s most accomplished wrestlers into a budding MMA prospect has intensified after just missing an opportunity to compete in last summer’s Tokyo Olympics last year. Falling to fellow former Nittany Lion wrestler David Taylor in the final round of the Olympic trials in Fort Worth, Texas in April 2021, Nickal has since focused his energies on MMA.

The shift in focus from wrestling to MMA in the past year though has delivered immediate dividends for Nickal.

And, according to an interview with MMA Junkie ahead of his Friday night professional debut, the path is one he intends to follow through.

“I don’t think that I need to rush this process,” Nickal said. “I’m looking to take it one step at a time and continue to grow as a person and as a competitor and a fighter. So for me, the goal remains the same – UFC champion, pound-for-pound No. 1 guy on the roster.

“I want to be the best fighter on the planet. I think that will happen inside of five years. So for me, it’s just continuing to work every single day. I don’t have a single doubt in my mind. It doesn’t matter if it’s an amateur fight or if I have my pro debut or if I have 10 professional fights. That’s always my goal. That’s always on my mind.

“I’m looking to go out and dominate and win. I just feel like I’m a winner. That’s what I’m born to do. So yeah, the goal remains the same. It doesn’t matter what part of my career I’m in.”

Following his fight Friday night, Nickal followed through on those claims. Immediately following his win, he was quoted as telling all other UFC middleweight fighters he was “coming for” them, regardless of their professional fighting affiliation.

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