LAS VEGAS – While a vast majority of the MMA community has been shouting the championship potential of Bo Nickal, the UFC 300 main carder doesn’t appreciate being compared to Jesus Christ.
Nickal (5-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) will have the opportunity to prove why the UFC is so high on him when he meets Cody Brundage in the pay-per-view opener at T-Mobile Arena. It will be just Nickal’s third fight in the promotion, yet he was given main card placement over multiple six former champions.
“I didn’t expect it,” Nickal told reporters at Wednesday’s media day. “I think that it’s a big honor for me to be where I’m at on the card, and just to be on this card in general because there’s so many amazing fighters and so many guys that have a ton of experience and who are just doing big things in the sport. I feel like it says a lot about me, about the UFC and our plans, and I think they align. I’m just grateful to be where I’m at, and grateful to have this platform to go do my thing.”
While Nickal has embraced his main card role, he didn’t place himself in that position. The UFC believes they have a huge future star on their hands, and placing him in a huge spot on a milestone event shows how much they’re willing to get behind the decorated collegiate wrestler. Many critics have offered their opinions on the matter, but Nickal has largely tuned them out.
“I feel like at the end of the day, the UFC made a business decision and it made sense for me to be on the main card,” Nickal explained. “That being said, as far as the opinions of others, they’re not super relevant to me. I feel like those are going to ebb and flow. I’m confident in a year or two once I’ve established myself more and built my reputation in this sport more, that people will think it’s a no-brainer and look back on it and it will make a lot more sense.”
Among those sharing their opinions about Nickal is his opponent. “I know people think he’s like the second coming of Jesus Christ of MMA, but I just don’t see it,” Brundage told reporters Wednesday during his own media day session. While Nickal certainly believes in his own future due to his determination and focus on success, but he quickly shut down the Biblical simile.
“I definitely don’t love that comparison as a Christian,” Nickal said. “I don’t really feel like that about myself at all. I think that I’m just trying to do my best out here. … I feel fine with people saying whatever they want to say. Of course, people are going to try to get a rise out of me, or say things to throw me off. I’m just trying to go out there and accomplish what I want to accomplish. However they want to go about it is really irrelevant to me. It makes no difference. People want to sell the fight, people want to build the fight up, and I get that.
“For me, no matter what’s said in the lead up or the fight week, we’re going to get locked in the cage. So, that’s what I’m focused on. Anything that is important will come to light right in that moment.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 300.
UFC 300 main carder Bo Nickal rejects ‘second coming of Jesus Christ of MMA’ label