Bo Nickal answered his doubters in brutal fashion at Madison Square Garden.
While the important talking point to emerge from UFC 322 surrounds Islam Makhachev dominating Jack Della Maddalena to develop into welterweight champion, loads of notable names delivered standout performances on the undercard.
Before Benoit Saint-Denis’ 16-second knockout and similarly violent finishes for Carlos Prates and Michael Morales, the prelims concluded with Bo Nickal’s head kick putting Rodolfo Vieira out cold.
The result was a vital one for the American wrestling specialist, as he bounced back from the primary lack of his MMA profession earlier this 12 months amid a barrage of doubt about his prospects of title success in the game.
Moving forward, he wants to maintain the ball rolling with a fast turnaround. But one momentous occasion could persuade him against doing so…
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When should Bo Nickal fight next? UFC prospect is torn between a fast return and White House wait
Like many fighters, Nickal’s interest has been piqued by the planned UFC event on the White House in 2026.
A lot in order that the 29-year-old is even considering waiting to make his return to the cage with a purpose to protect his likely spot on the celebratory fight card.
“I’d like to get back in there quickly,” Nickal said on The Ariel Helwani Show.
“Straight away, I’m just deciding if I wanna wait till June to get on the White House card or get a fight in between from time to time.
“Some pondering and a few prayer to determine what’s best, and we’ll go from there,” he added.
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Dana White holds firm on his Jon Jones stance for the UFC White House event
No fighter has campaigned for a spot on the White House card as much as Jon Jones, but the previous heavyweight and light-weight heavyweight champion’s efforts have thus far been in vain.
Dana White rejected Jones’ comeback request earlier this 12 months. Despite the Rochester native’s repeated attempts to alter his mind, the UFC president is holding firm.
“I haven’t said yes or no to anybody yet,” White said on the Flagrant podcast. “But I can’t put Jon Jones able where he can…
“I had a take care of him to fight Tom Aspinall. We had a deal, and he said, ‘You already know, I’m not going to do it.’
“I can’t be in that position, I gotta have any person who can (be reliable),” he added.