"It's insulting to the audience" - Ariel Helwani criticizes Dana White and UFC for "disingenuous" comments on refusal to sign Bo Nickal after dominating DWCS outing
Ariel Helwani has slammed the UFC for not signing Bo Nickal despite his dominant victory over Zack Borrego on Dana White's Contender Series (DWCS). The collegiate wrestling standout made quick work of his opponent during his appearance on DWCS Season 6, Week 3, earning a submission win just 62 seconds into the fight.
However, Dana White did not sign him, and blamed his 2-0 record. According to the UFC president, 'The Allen Assassin' needs to pass another test at DWCS to earn a UFC contract.
Helwani believes it was disingenuous of White to not sign Nickal after raising his hopes. According to the Canadian journalist, the UFC failing to sign Nickal was an insult to the audience. Helwani said:
"So I tuned into the Bo Nickal fight. And I was like, 'Man, this is kayfabe at it's finest.' So to me it all felt very disingenuous. Why not come out and promote, right?!.. Sit up at the table and say, 'A guy like Bo Nickal comes around once in a lifetime... I'm telling you right now, we've signed him'. Don't give me the, 'Oh, is he good enough? Slow your roll', all that nonsense. Come on, it's very disingenuous and I feel like it's insulting to the audience. Why are we playing this game? Why the charade? The next guy he fights, he's gonna be a -4000."
Watch Helwani's take on the Nickal situation below:
🧢How I would have handled the @NoBickal situation last night. 🚫🧢 https://t.co/GPmTkAC9bT
Michael Bisping advises Bo Nickal to slow his roll
Bo Nickal had a lot of hype behind him going into DWCS. The three-time NCAA Division 1 champ entered as a -3500 favorite against Zack Borrego. Also a Dan Hodge trophy winner, Nickal justified the odds with a dominant showing against Borrego.
However, former UFC middleweight champ Michael Bisping has advised Nickal to 'slow his roll'. While Bisping is confident about Nickal having a successful MMA career, he believes the accomplished collegiate wrestler shouldn't rush things. 'The Count' said after Nickal's DWCS win:
“I’ve trained with many a great wrestler, guys almost as accomplished as him, and against the fence, it’s a different world. Of course, the man’s going to have a sensational career. But slow your roll a little bit, buddy." h/t MMAFighting
#DWCSBO NICKAL GETS THE FIRST-ROUND SUBMISSION 😤 #DWCS https://t.co/OrHHtHUvMU