Bo Nickal had a big win at UFC 309 last Saturday in New York City, beating Paul Craig by unanimous decision. Even though it was his biggest win yet, the crowd at Madison Square Garden wasn’t happy and booed him because of how he fought.
During the fight, Daniel Cormier said Nickal wasn’t ready to face someone as tough as Khamzat Chimaev. This came after Nickal and Chimaev had exchanged some fiery words earlier in the year. Surprisingly, Nickal, a two-time NCAA wrestling champ, didn’t even try for a takedown against Craig.
Bo Nickal wasn’t happy with what Daniel Cormier said during the UFC 309 broadcast. In a recent interview, Nickal shared that he felt “disappointed” by Cormier’s comments and wanted more encouragement during his fight with Paul Craig.
Cormier later explained why he was critical during the broadcast, saying he doesn’t believe Nickal is ready to compete against the top middleweight fighters yet.
Daniel Cormier Clarifies His Commentary on Bo Nickal’s UFC 309 Performance
Daniel Cormier shared a video on his YouTube channel where he explained his thoughts on Bo Nickal’s performance. He clarified why he made certain comments during the fight.
“This one kind of took me a little bit by surprise because I do like Bo, and I do believe that at some point he’s going to be a champion. I just think that he’s a respectful guy. So, he’s trying to say things in the nicest way he possibly can, but I think he may have misunderstood what I’m trying to say,” Cormier said. “What I was more trying to say in this fight is, let’s not rush him into fights with people who are much more experienced. That is how good he has done in a short period of time.
“You know what’s the craziest thing? After this weekend, right after the fight, people called me and said I was a Bo apologist. I was being apologetic for his performance, almost making excuses for him,” Cormier continued. “That’s crazy because it’s odd that a fighter can interpret it so much different than other people in the world. I thought he did really good. I have no problem with Bo Nickal. I believe he’s going to be fine. I don’t have a problem with the performance. I thought he fought really well, but there’s room for improvement. Let’s just take our time – we don’t need to rush him.”
watch Daniel Cormier’s full remarks below:
After Bo Nickal won his fight, UFC president Dana White said something similar. At the UFC 309 post-fight press conference, Dana shared that he and the matchmakers are always talking with Nickal about his fighting style and the direction of his career.
Bo Nickal kept his undefeated streak alive with a win at UFC 309, though it wasn’t the most exciting performance. He has also picked up victories over fighters like Val Woodburn, Cody Brundage, and Jamie Pickett in recent bouts.
Before fully committing to MMA, Nickal was a top wrestler, winning multiple NCAA Division-I championships at Penn State, making him one of the most promising talents in MMA.
While his last couple of fights have been underwhelming, Nickal is still considered a strong middleweight contender with potential for a title shot in the future. However, experts like Daniel Cormier believe he still has work to do before he’s ready for the top of the division.
