"Trust me, I can wrestle" - Bo Nickal explains the rationale behind his callouts to Khamzat Chimaev

Undefeated UFC middleweight rising star Bo Nickal is fresh out of his win over Paul Craig at UFC 309. Despite winning via a strong unanimous decision, Nickal received some criticism due to the fact that he wasn't able to finish his Scottish opponent - unlike all his fallen foes in the past.

Despite people saying that he was exposed by Craig and that he isn't ready for the next level yet, Nickal is already shooting for the highest level possible, Khamzat Chimaev. The Chechen wrestling machine might be the most dangerous man in the division - but Nickal is intent on testing that for himself.

Speaking to former UFC champions Kamaru Usman and Henry Cejudo in their podcast, Pound 4 Pound on YouTube, Nickal explained why he's after the feared wrestling phenom:

"My goal has always been to be, you know, UFC champion, pound-for-pound number one fighter in the world. And so when I call out guys like Khamzat [Chimaev], that's because I think that he's really good and I want to fight the best guys."

Nickal continued:

"I think that this last fight [against Paul Craig], even though people didn't love the performance, was a great step in the right direction. I dominated a veteran, a guy who has 26 fights for three straight rounds with just using striking... I think people now are saying 'Oh, Bo, no he can't wrestle' this or that. Bro, trust me, I can wrestle."

Nickal is a three-time NCAA Division I national champion, three-time Big Ten Conference wrestling champion, U-23 Fighting freestyle wrestling world champion, U.S. Open national champion, and a U.S. Olympic team trials finalist.

Check out Bo Nickal's comments here (23:38):

---

Kamaru Usman and Henry Cejudo give Bo Nickal contrasting career advice

In the podcast interview, Kamaru Usman and Henry Cejudo got into a friendly debate on what should be the next step for Nickal after UFC 309. The 28-year-old admits to looking up to both Usman and Cejudo, as they're two of the best wrestling specialists to ever become UFC champions.

With Nickal intently listening, Usman stated his case (28:28):

"Why [do you] want to fight top 15 when [you're] not making that money yet? Any fight right now before I get there [top 15], is experience. Bo, you are putting in the time, you've dedicated almost two decades of your life - probably more - into combat sports. So why am I rushing... I can take my time."

Cejudo begged to disagree, saying (29:02):

"Bo [Nickal] may be thinking different. He may want to be in and be out. Be in and be out. Become champion and be out, dude. That was my plan... I stayed a whole lot longer that what I wanted, so it really depends on whay Bo wants to do. What I'm saying, Bo, is maybe you call somebody out, maybe you get a big fight with a fight that's favorable."

Cejudo then suggested to Nickal to go straight for the former UFC middleweight king Israel Adesanya. If he beats 'The Last Stylebender', Nickal might very well get fast-tracked from being outside the top 15 to an immediate title shot.