The debate regarding American wrestling in MMA took an unexpected turn, and Bo Nickal is not having it. The three-time NCAA champion and rising UFC middleweight contender was at the center of an online firestorm after MMA Guru claimed that U.S. wrestling is no longer as dominant in MMA as it once was.
The discussion truly started when Daniel Cormier and Chael Sonnen commented on their ESPN show, Good Guy / Bad Guy, that they accepted even though wrestling was the entire basis of fighters, the sport has evolved. ‘The Bad Guy’ admitted that the days of wrestlers dominating by simply adding a little striking to their skillset are behind us, while the former two division champ replied that wrestling is still the backbone of the majority of high-level fighters.
The Penn State Alum was not about to let that slide. Stepping into the conversation, he tweeted a response on X, writing: “I haven’t even had to wrestle anyone lmao too easy.” That one sentence lit the internet on fire. Was he writing off the argument entirely? Or was he attempting to convey that his dominance inside the cage outweighs his world-class wrestling bloodlines?
I haven’t even had to wrestle anyone lmao too easy. https://t.co/zxV1Xok2sv
— Bo Nickal (@NoBickal) February 11, 2025
And he didn’t hold back. Nickal took it a step further and had MMA Guru on his podcast, saying: “Come on my podcast, let me teach you about American wrestling my brotha.” The challenge was loud and clear—Nickal wants to correct the record. Before transitioning to MMA, Bo Nickal built one of the most legendary collegiate wrestling careers in NCAA history.
A three-time Division I national champion at Penn State, he compiled a 120-3 record, with a reputation for finishing matches in dramatic fashion. His abilities weren’t just confined to folkstyle, however—he was also proficient in freestyle wrestling, having claimed a U23 World Championship and having competed at the senior level.
His transition to MMA was met with massive hype. Everyone believed he would ragdoll dudes with his wrestling, but instead, he’s been finishing fights without even needing to use it. Another dominant performance followed up his first-round submission victory in his UFC debut to demonstrate that he’s had more in his arsenal than just takedowns.
Adding fuel to the hype, Nickal recently revealed significant news about UFC 314, with no announcement from the promotion so far. During a YouTube video, he stated: “I might fight on that card. That’s the card I’m trying to fight on. April, Miami.” While no opponent has been finalized, the undefeated middleweight is optimistic about continuing his streak after victories against Paul Craig, Cody Brundage, and Val Woodburn.
MMA sage triggers an argument—and Cormier & Sonnen weigh in
MMA Guru’s case wasn’t completely without merit. He argued that the invincibility of American wrestling in MMA has evaporated and that fighters can no longer simply rely on their wrestling pedigree alone. “I’ve been misled by the likes of Daniel Cormier and Chael Sonnen about these so-called wrestling monsters in MMA,” he claimed.
Sonnen, quite surprisingly, gave credit for the argument to Guru, saying, “It used to be you could wrestle through college, pick up some boxing lessons along the way, and that would be enough. But it’s not anymore.” He added that the majority of top wrestlers like Jordan Burroughs, Kyle Dake, and David Taylor have opted out of MMA, having realized that wrestling alone is no longer enough to be dominant.
Cormier, though, wasn’t as certain. He fired back, saying, “Just because the top guys aren’t coming over anymore doesn’t mean wrestling doesn’t work. Look at Jon Jones, Islam Makhachev, and Ilia Topuria—they all have wrestling bases.” His point? Good wrestling, when applied to MMA, is still an important factor in producing champions.
Adding more fuel to the fire, the UFC 312 co-main event bout of Zhang Weili vs. Tatiana Suarez continued to fan the debate. The majority expected Suarez’s wrestling to overpower Weili, but the 115lbs champ shut down 14 of 15 takedowns and outstruck Suarez in a clear signal that elite-level takedown defense and well-rounded game can neutralize even a very skilled wrestler.
Bo Nickal’s response was short, but it spoke volumes. Instead of getting into the details of why wrestling is crucial in MMA, he let his record do the talking. His claim that he hasn’t even needed to wrestle yet could be taken as a sign that he’s more well-rounded than people think—or as a warning to future foes who don’t respect his grappling abilities.
He has had MMA Guru as a guest on his podcast, which shows he’s willing to confront the controversy head-on rather than just brush it aside. Furthermore, his potential return at UFC 314 has added an additional layer of suspense. As he climbs the ranks, this argument will grow louder. Can he show that wrestling is still the most dominant base for MMA? Or will he have to conform and change like so many others before him? One thing is for sure—Bo Nickal isn’t losing any sleep over internet arguments. He’s too busy winning fights.
The post Bo Nickal Fires Back at Troll Amidst NCAA Wrestling Career Being Questioned appeared first on EssentiallySports.