Wrestling has long been one of the most dominant disciplines in UFC history. From the promotion’s early days to the modern era, elite wrestlers have consistently risen to the top, using their grappling skills to control fights and neutralize opponents. The ability to dictate where the fight takes place—whether on the feet or the mat—gives wrestlers a unique advantage inside the Octagon. Wrestling’s dominance in the UFC is undeniable. The ability to control the pace, impose physicality, and outlast opponents remains a winning formula. As new stars emerge, one thing is clear—elite wrestlers will always have a place at the top of the UFC.

One of the most talented wrestlers in the UFC at the moment is Bo Nickal. Before stepping into the UFC, Nickal was already a household name in the wrestling world. His dominance on the mat laid the foundation for his rapid ascent in MMA, where his wrestling mindset continues to set him apart from the competition. Nickal’s wrestling journey began in high school, quickly gaining attention as one of the nation’s top prospects. He carried that momentum to Penn State University, a powerhouse in collegiate wrestling. During his time there, Nickal became a three-time NCAA Division I national champion and a four-time finalist, an achievement few wrestlers can claim.

Despite all these accolades, the 29-year-old doesn’t quite consider him the best wrestler in the promotion. He recently took to his X account and answered an important question asked to him. One of the users asked him, “Your top 3 mma wrestlers?” Many expected him to at least keep himself in the top three. However, his response surprised most of the users out there. He responded with a tweet, “Khabib, Khamzat, Islam”. Looking at his top three, there’s no doubt that he has an eye for quality as all three fighters he named are elite grapplers.

In recent years, Dagestani fighters have taken the world of mixed martial arts by storm, and much of their success comes down to one thing—elite wrestling. Leading the charge for Dagestani dominance is Khabib Nurmagomedov, the undefeated former UFC lightweight champion. Following in his footsteps is Islam Makhachev who submitted some top fighters in his division giving the fans a glimpse of what he can do on the ground. Also, Khamzat Chimaev is known for his extreme level of grappling which he has displayed in most of his fights. But what do the fans have to say about Bo Nickal’s picks? Let us find out about it below.

Fans counter Bo Nickal’s picks for his top three wrestlers in MMA

The UFC is home to some of the most skilled athletes in the world, and when it comes to wrestling, fans are constantly debating who stands above the rest. With so many dominant grapplers across multiple divisions, the conversation about the best wrestler in the UFC never dies down. If we look into the past, there have been outstanding fighters who did impress all with their wrestling skills. But who do the fans on X have come up with this time around? Let us find out about it below.

The topic of greatest is incomplete without mentioning Georges St-Pierre‘s name and one user did exactly that, saying, “GSP and Hughes were both better than Islam and Khamzat young buck”  While most of the fans disagreed with Nickal’s picks one of the fans seemed to agree with him and commented,  “Probably very accurate”.

Merab Dvalishvili is one of the most elite grapplers in the history of the UFC and this has shown in his performances. One user thinks he can even outwork Islam Makhachev and commented, “I think Merab would out wrestle Islam over 5 rounds if they were the same size. Probably not Khabib and Khamzat tho”  Another fan mocked Bo Nickal for his picks and commented, “Your top 3 wrestlers that don’t come from a wrestling background?” 

Merab Dvalishvili will always be in the talks when we bring up the topic of wrestling. One user took out time to ask Nickal, “How high do you rank Merab?”  Another sarcastically threw in the names of Alex Pereira and Justin Gaethje in the mix, “Wrong. Dylan Budka, Justin Gaethje, and Alex Pereira are the only right answers” Bo Nickal has some serious wrestling credentials as we know and one fan seemed to agree with his picks and commented, “Goat recognizes goats”. 

These comments reflect how subjective and heated the debates about different styles in the UFC can be. Fans weigh in on credentials, dominance, and hypothetical matchups across different generations and weight classes. So who do you think is the best wrestler in the UFC? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.