After all the hype around fighting Khamzat Chimaev, Bo Nickal surprisingly went silent on the matter at UFC 300. The UFC’s middleweight division is one of the most talent-stacked divisions in the promotion. While Dricus Du Plessis is the champion, the likes of Sean Strickland, and Khamzat Chimaev, among others, are knocking at the door to get the next shot at the title. Bo Nickal is another name at middleweight that has the potential to become a champion at 185-pounds in the UFC. His UFC 300 win over Cody Brundage definitely put him on the right track to get closer to a title shot. However, in the post-fight interview, there was something Nickal missed massively.
UFC’s decision to feature Bo Nickal as the opening fight of the UFC 300 main card was met with considerable controversy. Despite the backlash, the choice proved to be justified. The 28-year-old Nickal secured a victory with a dominant second-round submission against Cody Brundage, underscoring the UFC’s decision to highlight him in such a prominent slot.
Leading up to his fight at UFC 300, Nickal called out Khamzat Chimaev a number of times. On one occasion, he stated that he wanted Chimaev immediately after his win at UFC 300. In another instance, the 28-year-old stated that he would like to get a few more wins under his belt before facing Chimaev. Soon after his victory, Chimaev took a subtle dig at Nickal. ‘Borz’ commented on Nickal’s performance at UFC 300, saying,
“This wrestling was big bullshit.”
This wrestling was big bullshit ♂️
— Khamzat Chimaev (@KChimaev) April 14, 2024
However, even though Chimaev seemed interested in keeping the rivalry ignited, Nickal did not mention Chimaev at all in his post fight interview. Instead, he stated that he would like to face either Anthony Hernandez and Roman Kopylov.
Bo Nickal vs Khamzat Chimaev: A fight set on a collision course?
The 28-year-old was not happy with his performance at all. Immediately after the submission win, he pointed his thumbs down towards the camera, indicating his disappointment. In the post fight interview too, he seemed dejected. Thus, it could be possible that since Nickal was not happy with his performance, he did not call out Chimaev.
Either way, if Nickal continues winning, it will not be long before he challenges for the title. Chimaev, on the other hand, will face Robert Whittaker in June. If he wins the fight, ‘Borz’ might be next in line for the title shot. Therefore, it will only be a matter of time before we see Bo Nickal vs Khamzat Chimaev in the UFC become a reality.
