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Bo Nickal

Bo Dean Nickal (born January 14, 1996) is an American professional mixed martial artist, former freestyle and graduated folkstyle wrestler who currently competes in the UFC middleweight division. In freestyle wrestling, he claimed the 2019 U23 World Championship and the US Open national championship, and was a finalist at the 2020 US Olympic Team Trials and a Final X contestant in 2019. As a collegiate wrestler, Nickal was a three-time NCAA Division I national champion (finalist in 2016) and a three-time Big Ten Conference champion out of Pennsylvania State University.

Considered one of the most accomplished Nittany Lions of all-time, Nickal earned the 2019 Dan Hodge Trophy as the nation's most outstanding collegiate wrestler, was a two-time Schalles Award winner as the nation's best pinner and was also named the 2019 Big Ten Athlete of the Year.

Wrestling career

Background and high school

Nickal was born in Rifle, Colorado, but moved to Wyoming at a young age, where he started wrestling around five or six years old. In fifth grade, he moved to Rio Rancho, New Mexico. Nickal made the varsity high school team while in eighth grade and placed second at the New Mexico state tournament that same season. As a freshman, he moved once again, now to Allen High School in Allen, Texas, placing second at the Texas state tournament as a freshman. He won every state tournament he competed in from his sophomore-year onward, becoming a three-time Texas state champion. As a junior, he placed fifth at the 2013 U17 World Championships in freestyle. After finishing his junior year, Nickal committed to wrestle as a Nittany Lion at the Pennsylvania State University. He graduated from high school with an 183–7 record, including 131 pins, and was the pound-for-pound ninth-ranked wrestler in the nation.

Pennsylvania State University

2014–2015

Nickal opted to compete under a redshirt during his first collegiate year, compiling a 15–2 record in open tournaments while wrestling unattached at 174 pounds.

2015–2016

Entering his freshman season ranked fourteenth in the country, Nickal won his first eighteen matches, claiming titles from the Nittany Lion Open and the Southern Scuffle and notable victories over returning NCAA runner-up Brian Realbuto, multiple DI All-Americans in Zach Epperly, Bryce Hammond and Ethan Ramos, and future NCAA champion Myles Martin. In his nineteenth match, Nickal, now the top-ranked 174 pounder in the country, was defeated by Nate Jackson on points, ending his streak. Afterwards, Nickal bounced back with eight straight wins, including another one over Martin, to finish the regular season with a record of 26–1. At the Big Ten Conference Championships, Nickal claimed three bonus point-victories, including a fall over Martin and a major over Zac Brunson in the finale. Nickal entered the NCAA's as the top-seed, defeating his first three opponents to make the semifinals, where he avenged his regular season loss to Nate Jackson on points, advancing to the finals. In the finals, Nickal faced the eleventh seed in Myles Martin, whom he had already defeated three times earlier, but was defeated by the opposition in a close and frenetic upset, claiming runner-up honors.

Nickal then went up to 86 kilograms for the 2016 US Last Chance World Trials Qualifier (freestyle) in April, where he placed fourth after recording a 5–2 record. He then attempted to make the 2016 U20 US World Team, but was stopped by Zahid Valencia.

2016–2017

As a sophomore, Nickal moved up to the 184 pounds division. During his unbeaten regular season, Nickal pinned his way to the Keystone Classic title and went 14–0 in dual meets, dominantly avenging his NCAA championship loss to Myles Martin, and also including wins over returning NCAA runner-up TJ Dudley and returning All-Americans Sammy Brooks and Nolan Boyd (both by fall). In the postseason, Nickal was upset in the semifinals of the Big Ten Championships by rival Myles Martin, but came back to place third, beating TJ Dudley for the second time. At the NCAA's, Nickal got a technical fall in the first round and three straight falls to make his second finals, notably pinning Dudley and Sammy Brooks. In the finale, Nickal faced undefeated-in-the-season and defending two-time NCAA champion Gabe Dean, whom he was able to edge by a point, claiming his first NCAA title and denying Dean his third.

Fresh off his first collegiate championship, Nickal went back up to 86 kilos to place fourth at the US Freestyle Open, going 4–2.

2017–2018

As a junior, Nickal compiled 23 wins and no losses during regular season, with 21 bonus–point victories, claimed multiple tournament titles and wins over the likes of Domenic Abounader and his nemesis Myles Martin. At the Big Ten Championships, Nickal claimed his second title by beating Martin in the finale, advancing to the NCAAs as the favorite top–seed. At the National tournament, he earned notable wins over '16 MAC champion Jordan Ellingwood, freshman phenom from Cornell Max Dean and Michigan's Domenic Abounader to make the finale, where he scored one of his signature pins in his career over Myles Martin, ending the rivalry, claiming his second NCAA title and clinching the team title for PSU. Due to his dominance, he was awarded the NCAA Championship Outstanding Wrestler award (MVP) and the prestigious Schalles Award as the nation's top pinner.

2018–2019

As a redshirt senior, Nickal moved up once again to 197 pounds. At this new weight class, he comfortably won the Big Ten Conference Championship for the second time consecutively and third time overall. At his last NCAA tournament, he dominated all three matches to get to the final, pinning his first two opponents and getting a major in the semifinals. In the finals, Nickal defeated the second seeded Kollin Moore by points (5-1) to claim the NCAA title, becoming one of the four Penn State wrestlers to win three NCAA National Championships and the third one (along with David Taylor and Jason Nolf) to be a four-time NCAA Finalist. At the end of the season, he was awarded the Dan Hodge Trophy as nation's best college wrestler and the Schalles Award (for the second time consecutively) as US' top pinner. He was also named 2019 Co-Big Ten wrestler of the Year, Penn State Male Athlete of the Year, and Big Ten Male Athlete of the Year.

Freestyle career

2019

Once his final run in collegiate wrestling was over, Nickal immediately turned his focus solely to freestyle. Going back to the style after two years, Nickal competed at the US Open, bulking up to 92 kilograms instead of going down to 86 kilos due to teammate David Taylor being the returning World Champion in the weight class. He walked through his competition, stopping five opponents (three by technical fall and two by fall) and earning the championship.

After winning the US Open, Nickal automatically advanced to the finals of the US World Team Trials Challenge Tournament, in which he faced Michael Macchiavello in a best-of-three rematch. He dominated the first match winning by technical fall (10–0) and in the second match he would outscore his opponent 5–0, without letting him to score a point in either match.

Nickal wrestled in two straight matches against returning World Champion J'den Cox for the spot to represent the United States at the 2019 World Championships. In the first match, he was outscored 2–4 and wasn't able to score offensively, and in the second, he wasn't able to score a single point, while Cox scored 5 of his own, losing the series.

As a 23-year old Final X contestant, Nickal had the right to compete at the US U23 World Team Trials against the Challenge Tournament winner, Jakob Woodley. The special wrestle-offs took place during the Fargo Nationals. Nickal dominated 12–4 in the first match and 8–2 in the second match, earning the right to represent United States at the U23 World Championships.

At the U23 World Championships, Nickal defeated three opponents (one by fall, one by technical fall and one by points) including Shamil Zubairov, the returning champion, to get to the finals, where he faced 2018 Russian National champion Batyrbek Tsakulov (whom he had lost to at the 2013 Cadet World Championships). Nickal was able to avenge his loss with a 12–2 technical fall victory to earn the championship.

2020

By the start of 2020, Nickal moved up to 97 kilograms in an attempt to take out reigning Olympic Gold medalist Kyle Snyder. He effortlessly passed the first round by technical fall before facing Mohammad Hossein Mohammadian (winner of the championship), who would nullify Nickal to a 0–10 technical fall, marking the first time he had been defeated in such fashion in freestyle (since graduating) or college. In the consolation bracket, he would also have a tough time, as he had a close match with Alisher Yergali in which he was down 11–12 but was able to secure a last second takedown and earn a 13–12 point-victory. Next in the bracket was Kyle Snyder, however, Nickal did not appear on the mat, forcing the match to be ruled as a forfeit victory for Snyder and also eliminating Nickal from the tournament, placing seventh.

As a 2019 U23 World Champion, Nickal qualified for the 2020 US Olympic Team Trials. He was scheduled to compete at the event on April, however, it was postponed for 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic along with the 2020 Summer Olympics. As a champion at a non-olympic weight, Nickal was supposed to decide whether he was going to compete at 86 or 97 kilograms, but this decision never became public as the events were postponed. On September 21, he announced that he would compete at 86 kilograms in 2021.

Nickal returned to the mats against Alex Dieringer on September 19, at the NLWC I, making his debut at 86 kilograms since completely crossing over. Dieringer scored the first point via push-out early in the first period, however, he was put on the shot-clock due to passivity with 1 minute and 30 seconds left on the match. Nickal tied it up after defending the attacks of his opponent, earning a point and therefore the criteria as the last one to do so. He was able to earn the victory via criteria after neither of them were able to score more points. Nickal was later scheduled to wrestle 2020 US National runner-up Nate Jackson on November 24, at the NLWC III, but was removed from the card a day before the event.

2021

After a somewhat inactive previous year, Nickal wrestled two-time NCAA Division I National Champion Gabe Dean in a rematch from their 2017 NCAA championship match, on February 23, at the NLWC V. After a scramble-full match, Nickal was defeated by Dean in a close bout.

In early April, Nickal competed at the rescheduled US Olympic Team Trials as the sixth seed, in an attempt to represent the United States at the 2020 Summer Olympics. In the challenge tournament Nickal defeated '21 NCAA champion from Penn State Carter Starocci (round of 16), '19 US Open champion and third-seeded Pat Downey (quarterfinals), and '19 US National champion Zahid Valencia (semifinals). In the best–of–three finals, Nickal faced fellow Penn State legend and '18 World Champion David Taylor. Nickal lost twice by scores of 0–4 and 0–6, failing to make the US Olympic Team and break Taylor's 45–match win streak. Taylor would go on to claim the gold medal at the Summer Olympics. In regards to their close relationship, Taylor then stated:

"It was a weird emotion," Taylor said. "We had a discussion leading up to it, and we have such a deep room in the wrestling club, especially at 86 kilos, so we're challenged every single day and none of us would be where we are without each other. Bo's amazing, and I wouldn't be where I am without Bo."

Mixed martial arts career

Early career

On November 10, 2019, it was announced that Nickal had signed an MMA management deal with First Round Management, expecting to make the transition to the sport. It was also announced that Nickal had serious plans on partnering with Dan Lambert and opening a new American Top Team facility at Pleasant Gap, Pennsylvania. The building process started on October 23, 2020, and the gym became active on July 2, 2021.

After the 2020 US Olympic Trials for wrestling, Nickal made his amateur mixed martial arts debut against David Conley on September 24, 2021, winning via arm-triangle choke submission in round one. In his next bout, Nickal scored a one-punch knockout over Billy Goode on November 5, 2021.

Nickal made his professional MMA debut in the middleweight division against John Noland on June 3, 2022, at the Greater Richmond Convention Center in Richmond, Virginia as part of Jorge Masvidal’s iKon FC event. Nickal won the fight via knockout less than a minute into the first round.

Dana White's Contender Series

For his second professional match, Nickal faced Zachary Borrego on August 9, 2022, at Dana White's Contender Series 49. At weight ins, Borrego missed weight by 1.5 pounds, coming in at 187.5 lbs. The bout proceeded at catchweight and Borrego was fined a percentage of his purse, which went to Nickal. He won the fight via rear-naked choke submission early in the first round. Nickal was not awarded a contract due to his inexperience, with UFC president Dana White instead opting to arrange another fight for Nickal on the Contender Series.

Nickal faced Donovan Beard at Dana White's Contender Series 56 on September 27, 2022. Nickal submitted Beard in 52 seconds via triangle choke, once again not absorbing a significant strike. After this performance, Nickal was awarded his first UFC contract.

Ultimate Fighting Championship

Nickal was scheduled to make his UFC debut against Jamie Pickett on December 10, 2022, at UFC 282. However, Nickal withdrew due to injury. The bout was rescheduled for March 4, 2023 at UFC 285. He won the fight via an arm-triangle choke submission in the first round. This win earned him the Performance of the Night award. Following the fight, Pickett's manager announced plans to appeal the fight to the Nevada State Athletic Commission on the grounds that Nickal took advantage of an uncalled groin shot to win the fight.

Nickal was scheduled to face Tresean Gore on July 8, 2023, at UFC 290. However, Gore withdrew just days before the event due to a torn ligament in his wrist. He was replaced by promotional newcomer Val Woodburn. Nickal finished the bout 38 seconds into the first round via TKO stoppage.

Nickal faced Cody Brundage on April 13, 2024, at UFC 300. He won the fight by rear-naked choke submission in the second round.

Submission grappling career

Nickal competed in the first submission grappling match of his combat sports career at Third Coast Grappling 3 on December 7, 2019, when he faced Gordon Ryan in the main event. Nickal was submitted with a triangle choke.

Nickal represented iKon FC in a team grappling tournament at UFC Fight Pass Invitational 2 on July 3, 2022. He fought Eliot Kelly to a draw in the opening round and fought Oliver Taza to a draw in the final, with iKon FC taking second place in the tournament.

Personal life

Nickal is the son of Jason and Sandy Nickal. They were both college athletes, as his mother played basketball at San Diego State University and his father played football at Chadron State College. Jason coached Nickal as a youth until he went off to college at Penn State. His mother Sandy is also a former amateur boxer.

Nickal is a Christian. He stated his faith in God helps alleviate the pressure he feels in competition, "Win or lose, I'm still the same person and my family loves me and I still serve a great God, and, you know, that's just part of his plan for my life is to wrestle. So I do feel like it's important, but at the end of the day that's not what defines me. I just have placed my identity in Jesus Christ and I go out there and compete freely and the best I can every match." As a child, his favorite wrestler was two-time Olympic Gold Medalist John Smith. Apart from wrestling, he is also an enthusiast of spikeball and likes American football, his favorite player being former Detroit Lions player Barry Sanders.

Nickal married his wife Maddie Holmberg on December 12, 2020. Maddie is the daughter of Rob Holmberg who played football at Penn State and in the NFL.