The whole debate started when Cayden Henschel and his friends discussed how Islam Makhachev could not be a D1 NCAA camp. Bo Nickal weighed in on it and agreed, despite acknowledging Makhachev’s wrestling prowess. However, his statement received a response from ‘The American Gangster’, who took it upon himself to set the record straight. What did he say?

Chael Sonnen brushed off Nickal’s comments on his YouTube channel and stated, “I personally got to see Islam workout, this is by video, but I got to see the workout of Islam with the Belarusian, the Belarusian being the one that got a silver in the Olympics who beat Dake in the semifinals, might even been a quarterfinal round, it was a quarterfinal. Beat Dake. I’ve seen them work out, I’ve seen them work on clinch work, I’ve seen where Islam looks very good.”

Kyle Dake holds the distinction of being a 4-time wrestling world champion and has also earned bronze medals at the 2020 and 2024 Olympics to go along with his 4-time NCAA Division 1 champion honors. For Sonnen, Nickal’s critique seemed misplaced, rooted perhaps in a misunderstanding of the unique blend of wrestling and striking that defines MMA.

The former UFC middleweight brought up the history of wrestling in MMA, noting the arrival of Khabib Nurmagomedov and stated, “…until the boys from Team Khabib came along, wrestling did not have as much success in MMA as you think. Like those stories and those books were largely re-written because people don’t know enough about wrestling.”

Before Team Khabib’s dominance, wrestlers like Dan Severn, Mark Coleman, and Randy Couture showcased the power of collegiate wrestling in MMA. However, Sonnen pointed out, “What about the Olympic champions, or the World Champions, or even the Olympic Bronze, or the World Bronze, I guess when those guys finally find out about the UFC, excuse me, they’re going to come in, they’re going to take over. But it’s not what you saw.”

Interesting Fact: Ben Askren, Henry Cejudo, Daniel Cormier, and Ronda Rousey are some Olympians who competed in the UFC.

But what did Bo Nickal say that rubbed Sonnen the wrong way? On August 21, he took to X and wrote about a scenario imagining Islam Makahachev in college wrestling. “Let’s consider a few things. Islam would have to wrestle 174 given the amount of weight he cuts. He comes from the mountains of Dagestan which historically produces some of the toughest people on the planet. Islam’s mma wrestling is the highest level, which already makes him a formidable opponent.”

“He’s got tons of competition experience, strength, endurance, and great technique, and a high IQ. He’s taken down everyone put in front of him with relative ease. With that being said @carterstarocci wins by pin 1st period,” Nickal mentioned. Now, many fans may not like what he said. Dagestani wrestlers have created a special place for themselves in MMA and their wrestling prowess led to boast of almost spotless records. In comparison to Makhachev, though Bo Nickal is undefeated in MMA, he has had just six bouts.

However, we have to acknowledge that wrestling in MMA and wrestling as a sport are completely different skills, despite a bit of overlapping.

Islam Makhachev is currently ruling the 155 lbs division in the UFC with only one blemish on his entire professional MMA record, underscoring his dominance in MMA and adding more weight to Sonnen’s argument. However, apart from Bo Nickal, there is another person who undermined his skills! Who could it be?

‘El Matador’ is gunning for Islam Makhachev’s title…

Ilia Topuria is set to make the first defense of his featherweight title against Max Holloway at UFC 308 in October. While still wary of the challenge Holloway presents, ‘El Matador’ recently indicated that a second title is on his mind and he’s got Islam Makhachev in his cross-hairs!

In an Aug. 22 interview with SI, Topuria stated, “After the fight with Max Holloway once I knock him out, maybe the UFC will call me and tell me that they want me to move up to 155, I will be very happy with that decision…I respect [Makhachev], but there’s levels. I feel I represent the new generation of mixed martial arts.”

Well, we don’t know if Makhachev versus Topuira is something that can happen. After all, the Dagestani has been eyeing a move to welterweight!

Additionally, Makhachev is currently out of action because of a hand injury he sustained in his fight against Dustin Poirier at UFC 302. With no.1 lightweight contender Arman Tsarukyan standing in the way of getting his shot at the belt, Topuria may need to put all of his focus on the Holloway fight at the moment. But his confidence to go for a second belt against the dominant Dagestani champion speaks volumes about his fearless mentality. 

What do you think about Islam Makhachev’s wrestling skills and Bo Nickal’s comments? Do you think Ilia Topuria should fight for a second belt if he wins against Max Holloway? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.