Ex-Penn State wrestling star Bo Nickal causes online stir with bold challenge

A pair of Nittany Lion wrestlers competed in the inaugural Craig Jones Invitational in Las Vegas over the weekend. While both Jason Nolf and Greg Kerkvliet lost their opening matches of the historic $1 million prize grappling tournament, they still managed to generate attention on social media. However, it was Penn State wrestling great and rising UFC star Bo Nickal who made the most waves with a bold offer in response to the events of the CJI.

On Saturday morning, Nickal challenged the country’s best jiu-jitsu fighters to compete with some of the top wrestlers on the mat. Nickal’s post on X followed losses by Nolf and Kerkvliet the previous night and growing discussion online claiming that wrestlers can’t contend with their jiu-jitsu-based counterparts.

“I’d like to open a challenge to any current top-ranked jiu-jitsu competitor,” Nickal wrote. “Enter the 2024 USA Wrestling World Team Trials on 9/13/24, and if you make it past the first period in a match (3 minutes), I’ll give you $10k cash.

Criteria: Cannot be a former wrestler, must be purely Jiu-jitsu athlete.”

I’d like to open a challenge to any current top ranked jiujitsu competitor.

Enter the 2024 USA Wrestling World Team Trials on 9/13/24 and if you make it past the 1st period in a match (3 min) I’ll give you $10k cash.

Criteria:
Cannot be a former wrestler, must be purely…

— Bo Nickal (@NoBickal) August 17, 2024

The post caused quite a stir, with over 167,000 views, 1,200 likes, and 120 comments as of Monday morning.

Supporters applauded Bo Nickal for pointing out how each group of athletes would experience more success in their own domain. Critics questioned his reasoning and timing for the post, as it came following the defeat of the two Nittany Lion wrestlers, including one of his former teammates, in the Craig Jones Invitational.

Penn State wrestlers face tough night at the Craig Jones Invitational

© Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK

Former Nittany Lion Jason Nolf lost via submission (kneebar) to Tye Ruotolo at the 4:16 mark in the third round of his opening bout in the under 80 kg bracket on Friday evening. Despite the disappointing outcome, Nolf held his own throughout the match against one of the better jiu-jitsu fighters in the world.

Current Penn State wrestling heavyweight Greg Kerkvliet made it the entire way through his first-round match but was thoroughly dominated via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27).

Both Penn State wrestlers entered as heavy underdogs coming into the Craig Jones Invitational, so the losses weren’t all too surprising.

Moving forward, Nolf seems likely to participate in more MMA-style tournaments similar to the CJI. Coming off a National Championship in March, Kerkvliet is returning for one more season with Cael Sanderson and the Penn State wrestling program. While Kerkvliet has expressed a desire to go into MMA in the future, whether or not the heavyweight goes that route directly or dips his toes into freestyle wrestling remains to be seen.

Ultimately, tournaments like the Craig Jones Invitational help expand the network of former Penn State wrestlers following their time in Happy Valley. Opening avenues into multiple sports is something that could strengthen the recruiting prowess of Cael Sanderson even more.

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