"He understands how to compete"- Chael Sonnen speculates about the MMA future of the highly decorated wrestler Bo Nickal
Chael Sonnen has weighed in on how Bo Nickal’s MMA future could play out. Nickal, a highly-touted MMA prospect and decorated folkstyle and freestyle wrestler, made his professional MMA debut in June. The 26-year-old boasts a professional MMA record of 2-0, with a pair of impressive stoppage wins to his name.
In an edition of Beyond the Fight, retired MMA fighter Chael Sonnen pointed out that Bo Nickal has youth on his side. Addressing Nickal’s wrestling accolades, Sonnen stated:
“What I get from that is that he understands how to compete. He knows how to travel. He knows how to make weight. He knows to listen to his coach. He understands time and space. Bo is in an interesting place in his career right now because you guys are interested in him. But you’re interested for positive reasons.”
'The American Gangster' further added:
“You want to see him do well. You want to see him succeed. You want to see him go far. There are people who are calling for Bo versus [UFC middleweight champion Israel] Adesanya right now. Now, if we fast-forward the tape two years and Bo remains undefeated, people are going to stop him.”
Sonnen suggested that although Bo Nickal’s MMA skills might be raw as of now, he knows how to compete. He believes that it’s Nickal’s brilliance as a competitor that’ll help him beat more skilled MMA fighters.
Moreover, Sonnen opined that if Nickal continues his winning ways in his MMA career, public opinion will eventually turn against him. Sonnen indicated that Nickal would have to deal with it, as this tectonic shift in public opinion is inevitable for any MMA fighter who achieves long-term success.
Watch Sonnen discuss the topic at 5:15 in the video below:
Chael Sonnen cautions Bo Nickal against cutting back on his wrestling training
Intriguingly, Chael Sonnen highlighted that wrestlers often abandon their wrestling training as they focus on honing other aspects of their MMA arsenal. In the same video, Sonnen warned that in an attempt to become a more well-rounded MMA fighter, Nickal mustn’t forget his wrestling roots. ‘The American Gangster’ said:
“When the house is on fire, which is anytime you’re in the octagon, they slam that door and say ‘go’, you’re going to turn to what you’re most comfortable with, which is the wrestling, which you’re going to find out over a period of time is the one thing you haven’t sharpened and it got awfully dull.”
Earlier today, the UFC confirmed that Bo Nickal is scheduled to face Donovan Beard in a middleweight matchup next. The fight will transpire at the upcoming Dana White’s Contender Series (DWCS) event on September 27.
I’m back September 27th on Dana White & Bo Nickal’s Contender Series