Bo Nickal loves a problem.
The extremely touted UFC prospect and three-time NCAA wrestling champion was just a few months away from difficult for a spot on the U.S. Olympic group however slightly than simply sit round and wait, he determined to problem one of the best grappler on the planet to a match. On the time, Nickal had already selected a future transfer to MMA so he reached out to Gordon Ryan about probably coaching collectively so he might begin including new weapons to his arsenal.
“The match the way in which it took place, I had talked to Gordon just a few instances about coaching collectively as a result of I used to be like this man’s one of the best on the earth,” Nickal revealed on Demetrious Johnson’s MightyCast. “For me, that’s the kind of individuals I wish to encompass myself with and wish to be taught from. So figuring out I used to be going to transition over to MMA I used to be like that’s a man I want to practice with.
“He was competing at an occasion and he had an enormous struggle after which it fell out after which one other man got here in and it fell out. It was like two or three guys had pulled out of the struggle for no matter purpose I simply DM’d him like ‘hey bro, I don’t know what the problem is why no one will go towards you however rely me in, I’ll do it. Inform the promoter to hit me up.’ I simply needed to problem myself and really feel it out.”
Whereas Nickal was already an extremely achieved wrestler, he had no actual information about Brazilian jiu-jitsu a lot much less what it might be like going towards an all-time nice like Ryan.
So to make sure he was ready for the grappling match, Nickal determined he ought to be taught just a few issues.
“So [Gordon] acquired me in contact with the promoter and so they’re like ‘yeah, this is able to be nice, let’s do it,’” Nickal stated. “I used to be like nicely I higher begin practising jiu-jitsu. So I did three jiu-jitsu practices.
“I had by no means even executed any MMA coaching, simply wrestling. I knew some guys in Pittsburgh that had a [Brazilian jiu-jitsu] gymnasium, fairly excessive degree, some fairly excessive degree guys so I used to be like hey, attempt to present me some stuff and we’ll get after it.”
Regardless of a whopping whole of three classes earlier than setting foot on the mat towards the consensus finest grappler on the earth, Nickal nonetheless managed to carry his personal.
Because of his wrestling abilities, Nickal was in a position to fend off lots of Ryan’s greatest offensive strikes and he even stunned “The King” with an enormous suplex that introduced him crashing right down to the canvas in a dramatic second in the course of the match.
Sadly, Nickal’s inexperience ultimately caught as much as him after Ryan latched onto a triangle choke that completed the match that almost went the complete 15 minute time restrict.
As a lot as he needed to win, Nickal admits he nonetheless walked away with a helpful lesson discovered when it got here to what he wanted to know for his future in MMA.
“It was bittersweet,” Nickal stated. “I needed to go in there and shock the world and win and simply [represent] wrestling and be like ‘see, jiu-jitsu doesn’t work.’ But it surely additionally taught me I do have to work on that a part of my recreation and the way necessary it’s as a result of it’s very useful in a struggle to have the ability to determine the place the struggle goes however for me, I’ve at all times been a finisher. With wrestling it was at all times go for the pin, get the pin and so I noticed in MMA if I’m going to take a man down, you possibly can TKO a man in fact however guys are fairly robust. They’re sturdy and so they’re good at not getting hit an excessive amount of. So that you’ve acquired to determine methods to cross, to get place, to get the mount, take the again and submit guys. In case you’re actually good, I believe the trail of least resistance to get numerous wins and truthfully simply to save lots of your self some effort and a few vitality and save your self some mind harm.
“For me, I can throw everyone on the bottom and if I discovered get my jiu-jitsu nearly as good as my wrestling, taking guys’ backs and submitting them, it’s no hazard for me and straightforward wins. In order that’s the way in which I have a look at it now. My wrestling is world class. I believe my jiu-jitsu can develop into world class in a short time after which as I proceed on this journey in martial arts, I’ll develop the hanging as nicely.”
Nickal, who sports activities an ideal 6-0 report in his MMA profession with a struggle scheduled towards Paul Craig at UFC 309, has continued to be taught and evolve in his grappling ever since that match towards Ryan.
Maybe in the future, he hopes they may even meet once more.
“Perhaps sooner or later we’ll get a rematch,” Nickal stated. “I’ve a blue belt now so I’ve a bit of bit extra expertise.”