Bo Nickal’s Wrestling Career: Olympics, Losses, Khamzat Chimaev Comparisons & More

Bo Nickal has a reputation that has been consistently preceding him for a while now. The wrestling sensation successfully forayed into MMA and is on a 5-fight win streak. Come UFC 300, he will face Cody Brundage in his third straight PPV main card appearance. And as usual, his wrestling exploits are being hailed as we approach fight day.

Nickal has been one of the best wrestlers in the UFC and his freestyle wrestling record of 28-10 and an NCAA record of 120-3 speak for themselves. Do these records mean that Nickal is a better wrestler than Khamzat Chimaev and Khabib Nurmagomedov? Let us find out.

Does Bo Nickal have a better wrestling record than Khabib Nurmagomedov and Khamzat Chimaev?

Bo Nickal is one of the most decorated wrestlers to have ever graced the UFC Octagon. With a tremendous record of 120-3 in the NCAA, Nickal is undeniably one of the best in the game. Nickal holds three gold medals in the NCAA Division 1 National Championship and other championships as well. He was very close to representing his country at the Olympics, but his friend David Taylor defeated Nickal to rule him out of the championship.

In contrast to Nickal, Khabib Nurmagomedov and Khamzat Chimaev fare very well. The ‘Eagle’s legacy is a legend in itself. With multiple gold medals in World Sambo competitions and an unblemished record of 29-0, Nurmagomedov is probably one of the best wrestlers, nay, fighters, in the UFC. Despite his aggressive wrestling, Nurmagomedov never really stepped into wrestling leagues, but this was not the case for Khamzat Chimaev.

The Chechen started his endeavor in the world of MMA from wrestling. After moving from Russia to Sweden, Chimaev started competing in wrestling and the young lad took no time to get hold of it. ‘Borz’ fought against multiple clubs during his stay and Sweden and became one of the best freestyle wrestlers in the country by winning gold in the 2015, 2016, and 2018 Swedish Nationals.

Nickal might have a better record in terms of numbers, but Nurmagomedov and Chimaev have a better record when it comes to other things. Nickal can be the best but he has to prove his mettle in the UFC. Interestingly, former middleweight champion, Michael Bisping thinks Bo Nickal has the capacity to beat everyone.

Michael Bisping rates Nickal’s UFC prospects

Michael Bisping understands why many people think Nickal has been placed way higher on the UFC 300 card. The former middleweight champion argues that Nickal might be the next big thing in the UFC.

While having a conversation with ‘MMAFighting,’ Bisping said, “I understand why some people may have an issue with that because it seems a far more prestigious position, right? You’re on the pay-per-view. But if you take that logic, then if you’re Deiveson Figueiredo and Cody Garbrandt, then you’re really annoyed. If you’re Jessica Andrade, you’re fuming. If you’re Holly Holm, if you’re Aljamain Sterling, the greatest bantamweight of all time, guess what? There’s not enough room for everybody because the card’s that f*cking stacked.” 

Three straight PPV main card spots highlight how the promotion is pushing Nickal into the spotlight. If his outing against Brundage is fruitful, the matchmakers could shoot him up the ladder for a much higher-ranked opponent. What do you think? State your thoughts in the comments below.

Read More: Was UFC Star Bo Nickal an Olympian? Everything You Need to Know About His Wrestling Career