Bo Nickal isn’t the type to shy away from a challenge. The undefeated wrestling phenom has been tearing through the competition in the UFC, and now he has his sights set on one of the most feared fighters in the sport—Khamzat Chimaev. Nickal, a former NCAA wrestling champion, has made it clear that he’s not here to take easy fights. After another dominant performance inside the Octagon, he wasted no time calling for a clash with the Chechen wolf.

While for some it looks like an ambitious leap, Nickal believes he has all the skill set to challenge ‘Borz’. A fight between these two would be a dream matchup for fans—two elite grapplers with explosive finishing ability, both undefeated and hungry to prove themselves as the future of the division. But is Bo Nickal really that good in terms of his grappling skills that he can challenge ‘Borz’? Well, Javier Mendez has the answer for you.

The legendary coach believes Khamzat Chimaev is miles ahead in terms of his skills as a wrestler. However, he did have some words of encouragement for Nickal as well. On his YouTube channel, he said, “I don’t know how many people in the middleweight division are his (Khamzat Chimaev) caliber of grappling. I don’t really know if there is anybody. Maybe in the future – Bo Nickal, you know, as he gets better. Bo Nickal would be a good candidate, you know, but not now, later.” It seems for him to take on Khamzat Chimaev next he first needs to work on his grappling as advised by coach Mendez.

Many believe that the 29-year-old has all the qualities to become a future champion in the UFC. But Nickal is currently ranked at #15 in the division, and getting a title shot in the division will take some time. However, former UFC fighter Chael Sonnen feels Dricus Du Plessis should consider giving him a shot next.

Chael Sonnen wants to see Dricus Du Plessis vs Bo Nickal next in division

“He’s next in line,” Dana White declared at the UFC 312 post-fight press conference, confirming that Khamzat Chimaev is on the brink of his long-awaited title shot. The undefeated powerhouse has been vocal about his championship ambitions, and now it seems his moment is finally approaching. Even reigning middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis appears to have no objections in fighting the 30-year-old Russian fighter. However, this particular fight doesn’t quite excite Chael Sonnen at all. While having a conversation on his Good Guy/ Bad Guy podcast, he discussed the legacy of Du Plessis as a fighter.

He said, “If he retires from the sport, he is always going to be questioned for not taking on the undefeated number-one-ranked”. However, he then pointed out what should be done by ‘Stillknocks’ and said, “With that in mind, with that piece of psychology in mind, I like the idea of DDP going after Bo Nickal now. Hear me out on that. Why Bo? Well, because he’s completely undefeated, he’s an up-and-comer, he’s the youngest guy, and he’s the most likely of that entire bunch to go on to be a future champion. He’s also three years of victories away from ever working his way into a number-one title shot,”. It is pretty clear that the fight Sonnen wants to see is a far-fetched dream at the moment.

Nickal is not even in the top 10 rankings and has still a long way to go before he gets a title shot. How highly do you rate Bo Nickal as a fighter? Does he deserve a title shot next? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.