Bo Nickal says he deserted his wrestling just for Paul Craig at UFC 309.
Nickal acquired criticism for not resorting to his adorned wrestling background and as a substitute selecting to face with Craig of their middleweight bout earlier this month. He swept the scorecards to assert a lackluster unanimous resolution win, however many pundits and followers weren’t impressed together with his efficiency.
Nickal (7-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) was particularly critiqued for having beforehand downplayed Khamzat Chimaev’s wrestling, however he’s nonetheless assured that he’d have the sting in the event that they grappled.
“My aim has all the time been to be UFC champion, pound-for-pound No. 1 fighter on the planet,” Nickal stated on the “Pound 4 Pound” podcast with Henry Cejudo and Kamaru Usman. “And so after I name out guys like Khamzat, that’s as a result of I feel that he’s actually good, and I wish to combat the most effective guys.
“I feel that this final combat, despite the fact that folks didn’t love the efficiency, was an incredible step in the correct course. I dominated a veteran, a man who has 26 fights, for 3 straight rounds with simply utilizing hanging. I didn’t even use my largest asset. I feel folks now are saying, ‘Oh, Bo, he can’t wrestle’ this or that. Bro, belief me, I can wrestle.”
Nickal assures everybody that he plans on utilizing his wrestling in opposition to future opponents. He insists that he carried out the right sport plan in opposition to Craig (17-9-1 MMA, 9-9-1 UFC), who completed former UFC champion Jamahal Hill and high contender Magomed Ankalaev off of his again.
“I wish to hold dominating,” Nickal stated. “I take a look at my potential for matchups sooner or later, and with Paul Craig, it’s like his greatest place’s off his again. So, I didn’t assume it was the most effective state of affairs to place him in his greatest place, however there’s actually no different guys like that.
“So, you’ll be able to assure that each single man I’m going to be taking them down. There’s a really low likelihood – I’m not going to say zero as a result of loopy issues occur – I might slip on a banana peel or one thing. Very low likelihood that they’re taking me down, and in the event that they do I’m getting up assured.”
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