Penn State wrestling great Bo Nickal announces next UFC appearance

After last exiting the octagon victorious this spring, former Penn State wrestling star Bo Nickal will return for one more UFC fight before the end of the calendar year. The three-time National Champion Nittany Lion and rising MMA sensation announced that he plans to participate in UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden in New York City on November 9.

Nickal announced the news on his Instagram page on Saturday afternoon. As of Sunday evening, a potential opponent for his matchup at UFC 309 had not been revealed.

Bo Nickal’s next fight. . 👀 pic.twitter.com/c3MWbdMgzx

— WrestlersGrind (@_wrestlersgrind) July 6, 2024

Bo Nickal looks to continue dominant run at UFC 309

Bo Nickal has experienced a meteoric rise in his young MMA career. The ex-Nittany Lion is off to a 6-0 start, with most of those victories coming via submission. Nickal last defeated Cody Brundage on April 13 with a rear naked choke at the 3:38 mark of round two.

Some have criticized Nickal for his ability to get onto multiple top fight cards, such as UFC 300 in April. They feel that the UFC is promoting Nickal too hard and that he still needs to prove himself against a high-quality opponent.

However, Dana White and the UFC have a track record of building the brands of emerging stars in the hope of creating bigger fights down the road.

With Nickal’s opponent for UFC 309 still unknown, there’s a chance the rising star could face increased competition. Critics may ultimately get their wish, and Nickal may get a proving ground to earn more respect on the national stage and carve a path to fight for championship belts in the future.

Home atmosphere at MSG

Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports

November’s fight will take Bo Nickal out of Las Vegas for the first time since joining Dana White’s Contender Series in 2022. The fact that UFC 309 is in Madison Square Garden will only help to build excitement for Nickal’s appearance. The proximity to State College and the deep Penn State alumni base in New York City will help create a home atmosphere for Nickal.

Cael Sanderson and Penn State wrestling won the National Championship in MSG during the 2016 NCAA Championships. Bo Nickal, a freshman on that team, had his only Runner-Up finish of his college career, falling to Myles Martin in the NCAA Final.

Ultimately, what we can take away from that championship is that it was a massive home advantage for Penn State wrestling. Nickal could experience something similar when the UFC comes to town in November.

Nickal’s success creating a new path for Penn State wrestlers

Like many college wrestlers, Bo Nickal is having tremendous success transitioning to MMA.

Most of Nickal’s wins have come by submission, as arguably nobody is greater at finishing once the fight goes to the ground, which is not a surprising trait from a three-time National Champion and four-time NCAA Finalist.

Nickal’s success could be another feather in the cap for Cael Sanderson and Penn State wrestling. He has already set up a UFC training facility in State College, where many former and current Nittany Lions, like Anthony Cassar and Carter Starocci, regularly train.

In addition to the success that former Penn State wrestlers have had on the freestyle mat, the path to a professional MMA career that Bo Nickal is now blazing is another recruiting tool the Nittany Lions can use moving forward.

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