UFC middleweight fighter Bo Nickal is set to compete in two different combat sports disciplines concurrently.
According to promotional officials, Nickal has signed with the Real American Freestyle wrestling organization. He intends to pursue both wrestling and his mixed martial arts career simultaneously.
The wrestling organization is led by notable figures including wrestling icon Hulk Hogan, former WCW senior vice president Eric Bischoff, and veteran wrestling coach Izzy Martinez.
“Bo Nickal is a tremendous athlete and one of the most accomplished wrestlers on the planet,” Hogan said in a statement. “Nickal immediately elevates the RAF roster to new heights with his competitiveness and experience. When fans attend an RAF event they know they’re going to see the best of the best on the mat.”
Before transitioning to MMA, Nickal had a highly successful collegiate wrestling career, becoming a three-time NCAA Division I National Champion at Penn State University.
Upon entering mixed martial arts, Nickal made an immediate impact with a 31-second knockout in his professional debut. He then secured a UFC contract by stopping both opponents in the first round on Dana White`s Contender Series.
Following his entry into the UFC, the 2019 Dan Hodge Trophy recipient won his first four bouts in the octagon. However, in his most recent fight in May at UFC Des Moines, Nickal sustained his first professional loss, being stopped by Reinier de Ridder.
Wesley Dunham