The age-old saga between wrestling and MMA continues with fighters talking about how the two cultures feed off of each other while differing so drastically. In recent years, many wrestlers, often from the NCAA, have moved into MMA fighting because of the greater prospects and paychecks. Things have been further complicated with the rise of privately owned leagues that blur all the lines of the sport. And now Bo Nickal has weighed in with his own thoughts, almost inadvertently taking a dig at MMA.
Former WWE legend Hulk Hogan recently announced the launch of his Real American Wrestling league that promises to blend the storytelling characteristic of WWE and other franchises with the sportsmanship of wrestling; however, the high stakes, in terms of money, seem to point towards more of that pay-per-view type storytelling.
So, it is only understandable that in the current climate, wrestlers are having some thoughts on the future of their sport. In a recent episode of the Nickals and Dimes podcast, former NCAA champion Bo Nickal shared his thoughts on the two worlds. “I think that, you know, the reward of winning a fight, you know, you have a little bit of what you have in wrestling, but you obviously have, I think, a greater portion of that is financial.” Nickal said, adding a comment about the ease of one path versus the complexity of the other,
Nickal then pointed out how easy it was to make it to the top of MMA compared to the grind it takes to challenge the best wrestlers. “And so what? But what it takes to win a fight is not what it takes to win in wrestling at the world-class level. So for you to win at a world-class level in wrestling, you have to start and work and go through a system and go through a process and win and lose and win and lose and wrestle thousands and thousands of hours, and be able to, you know, really dedicate your whole life for decades and decades to do that, right?”
Credits: IMAGO
“Like, you’ve been wrestling for almost two decades, and you’re just getting to the point where you can compete at a world-class level. And in fighting, I’ve been fighting professionally for less than three years, and I’m already competing with the top 15 guys in the world.” The world of MMA is also very storytelling-oriented, so things like star power can afford fighters opportunities rather than them having to follow a conventional route of growth.
So, how much is the wrestling culture being changed by MMA leagues? Bo Nickal seems to think the change is quite profound, so let’s take a brief look at things.
The changes in wrestling culture due to the rise of MMA as per Bo Nickal
Bo Nickal went on to comment on the quick rise to stardom in MMA by saying, “I think that because of that you also have people coming into the sport that aren’t really invested in it. They like the entertainment of it, but they don’t understand it at a deep, profound level. And there’s also the fact that I would say the majority, if not, the vast vast majority, of people that are watching fights are all betting on it. Like they’re watching fights because they put $10 on a parlay and they want to see the result, and they want to win some money. But that’s not a thing in wrestling. Like, there’s no betting. It’s just, like, pure.”
It’s interesting to see that Bo Nickal, who himself fights in the middleweight division of the UFC, is making such a bold statement on the differences in the two cultures; it probably means that the rise in MMC clubs and private leagues is doing something seriously detrimental to the original sports. With the increasing funds that are being put into MMA, it seems that many young wrestlers might end up choosing this path sooner rather than later, but in the meanwhile, we can ask ourselves what might be lost in the process.
Albeit, part of Bo Nickal’s statement probably has to do with the fact that he is currently dealing with the first defeat of his MMA career and is understandably disillusioned with the lack of structure around the division as compared to his NCAA roots. Another firm reminder that people only start to question things once they stop working in their favor.
The post Bo Nickal Mocks MMA Fighters Over Lacking Vital Athlete Experience appeared first on EssentiallySports.
