Bo Nickal reacts to Khamzat Chimaev withdrawing from UFC Saudi Arabia due to illness: "I think he's overpartying"
Khamzat Chimaev appeared to be in a position to receive the biggest opportunity of his mixed martial arts career this weekend. The No.11-ranked middleweight was set to face Robert Whittaker in the main event of UFC on ABC 6 - which will mark the promotion's first trip to Saudi Arabia - in a potential title eliminator bout. 'Borz', however, was forced to withdraw from the bout as he has been battling an undisclosed illness.
Bo Nickal, who has not been shy about his interest in facing Chimaev, weighed in on the withdrawal during a recent episode of his Nickals and Dimes podcast, stating:
"Yeah, that dude is losing his aura a bit... He just needs to keep freaking winning and not doing this crap... Who's his last fight? It wasn't Kevin Holland, was it? [Kamaru] Usman, yeah, he fought Usman. [He hasn't fought a real 185er] ever... He could [do something about his illness]. That's what I do. Don't get sick. I'm not in a hosptial so I can [wrestle], yeah, technically."
Nickal continued:
"I don't think he's overtraining. I think he's overpartying. I don't know, probably, I don't know. What else would it be? I've just heard rumors about him and [Darren] Till and stuff, like crazy stuff."
Check out Bo Nickal's comments on Khamzat Chimaev withdrawing from UFC Saudi Arabia below:
It is unclear if there is any merit to Nickal's suggestions that Chimaev has been partying hard or to the rumors about him and Darren Till, which were not expanded on. The two middleweights have exchanged in several back-and-forth's through the media meaning that the comments could just be coming from a place of bad blood. A bout between the two seems inevitable - provided that 'Borz' is able to get healthy and get his mixed martial arts career back on track.
Bo Nickal missed the call to replace Khamzat Chimaev at UFC Saudi Arabia
Bo Nickal has seemingly been on a slow track as he gains experience in mixed martial arts. That did not stop the UFC from giving him a call to replace Khamzat Chimaev and face Robert Whittaker in the main event of UFC on ABC 6 this weekend. Speaking on his Nickals and Dimes podcast, the rising middleweight prospect stated:
"I did get a call. Unfortunately, I got a call while I was in the mountains of Montana and I didn't get back to cell service for three days. I came back into cell service to a few text messages saying, 'call me back, call me back, call me back' and it was too late."
Check out Bo Nickal's comments on replacing Khamzat Chimaev below:
Nickal would have had the opportunity to enter the top-five of the middleweight rankings if he was able to get past Whittaker. It would have been a big leap in terms of competition, however, as his last bout came against Cody Brundage at UFC 300. Instead, the No. 3-ranked middleweight will face Ikram Aliskerov this weekend.