For Bo Nickal, the path forward no longer runs solely through the Octagon. Just months after his first professional MMA loss, the former NCAA champion is headed back to where it all began, on the wrestling mat. But not everyone’s cheering for his return.
In a recent post on his Instagram account, Nickal officially announced his comeback match in freestyle wrestling, scheduled for August 30 in Cleveland, Ohio. He wrote in the caption, “First match is set. Time to make the return.”
The card will be part of Real American Freestyle’s debut event, a new promotion backed by WWE legends Hulk Hogan and Eric Bischoff. His opponent? Jacob Cardenas, a three-time All-American out of Cornell and Michigan.
The wrestling world may welcome Nickal with open arms, but MMA fans have been less forgiving. His UFC hype train hit the brakes hard after Reinier de Ridder handed him a TKO loss at UFC Des Moines in May. It was a brutal second-round finish that exposed Bo Nickal’s gaps in striking defense and cage control. Just like that, the golden boy aura cracked.
And while Nickal insists this wrestling detour isn’t a retreat, just another way to stay active, some fans clearly aren’t buying it. On his appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, Nickal explained, “You see a lot of guys do jiu-jitsu matches or wherever it is. I just have the fire in me to compete as much as I can.” But social media didn’t hold back as we take a look at what the netizens had to say!
Bo Nickal’s return to the wrestling mat after his first MMA loss leads to an outpouring of criticism from the fans
One fan wrote, “Dude lost one fight n went back to wrestling.” The reaction summed up what many fans are thinking. After riding a four-fight win streak in the UFC, Bo Nickal’s first taste of defeat has cast doubt on his mental toughness. Instead of seeing the move towards wrestling as strategic, critics are calling it a retreat.
Another posted, “Dawg you need to do muay Thai on the side not more wrestling.” Here’s the key criticism: Nickal’s lack of a well-rounded striking arsenal was exposed in his last fight. Fans expected him to level up his weaknesses, not double down on his strengths. Wrestling might be his comfort zone, but comfort rarely breeds evolution in MMA. What do you think?
“lol that’s all Bo? The guy to be -1000 vs Khamzat” another chimed in. Once touted as a future Khamzat Chimaev challenger, Nickal’s mystique and aura of invulnerability have faded. That hypothetical -1000 betting line in his favor now looks ridiculous in hindsight. This jab hits harder because it reflects the collective swing in public opinion.
Someone else added, “Doing freestyle is a waste of time, need to be working on MMA skills.” From a fan’s perspective, the highly-touted prospect’s window to rise up the middleweight ladder is now. At 29, he’s in his athletic prime. Every move away from MMA is seen as wasted time and worse, lost ground in a hypercompetitive division.
And finally, one user questioned his drive for the sport as they wrote, “Damn bro really quit after 1 loss.” it’s a harsh take, but in the fight game, perception is everything. Even if Bo Nickal hasn’t quit MMA, the optics of his wrestling return after a high-profile defeat have sparked doubts about his long-term focus.
To be fair to Nickal, he has seemingly taken the criticism after his loss in stride. His recent prank video with comedian Redd Miller, mocking the very knee that ended his last fight, shows he hasn’t lost his sense of humor.
And while the middleweight star might see his wrestling return as just staying sharp in his foundation, for many fans, it feels like unfinished business in the cage. The timing, the optics, and the recent loss have all blurred the line between regrouping and retreating. Whether this detour fuels a stronger comeback or confirms critics’ fears will depend on what he chooses to do next. And how he chooses to fight for his place in the UFC spotlight once again!
The post UFC Loss Shadows Bo Nickal as Wrestling Return Draws Fan Backlash appeared first on EssentiallySports.
