Bo Nickal hadn’t fought in more than nine months but he picked up right where he left off.
The Penn State wrestling legend who won three national titles and the 2019 Hodge Trophy improved to 3-0 in his UFC career with a second-round submission over Cody Brundage.
It was the first time a Nickal fight had gone past the first round.
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Nickal’s win unofficially kicks off a big week for Penn State wrestling.
University Park will host the 2024 U.S. Olympic Wrestling trials April 19-20. Plenty of current and former Penn State wrestling stars, such as reigning Gold Medalist David Taylor and Nickal’s college teammate, Jason Nolf, will be competing. Nickal competed at the 2020 Olympic Trials in Fort Worth, Texas, but didn’t qualify and soon embarked on his MMA career.
After a series if dominant wins at the amateur and pro levels, Nickal made his UFC debut last March.
Nickal’s first two UFC fights went a combined 3:32, with the most recent one— a TKO of Val Woodburn at UFC 290 July 8– lasting a whopping 38 seconds.
Nickal’s had five total professional MMA fights and none have gone past the first round.
His athletic legacy was already secure before he reached the UFC.
Bo Nickal is one of the best in the history of arguably the most dominant dynasty in college sports— Penn State wrestling. He won three national titles, was a four-time All-American and the winner of the Hodge Trophy, which is wrestling’s Heisman. He plans to make his UFC career even more dominant, and although he’s still relatively new to the sport, when he fights, it feels like a big deal.
April 13 was no exception.
