Bo Nickal will make his return to the wrestling arena while also remaining with the UFC as a fighter. Nickal, a former national champion for Penn State University, signed with Real American Freestyle.
In a report by MMA Fighting, Nickal joins the promotion that was founded by Hulk Hogan, Eric Bischoff and Izzy Martinez earlier this year. He will still compete in the UFC while also doing this.
“Bo Nickal is a tremendous athlete and one of the most accomplished wrestlers on the planet,” Hogan said. “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.”
The 29-year-old Nickal captured three NCAA Division I wrestling championships in a row while competing for the Nittany Lions. He was a runner-up in 2016 before reeling off his run.
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Nickal competed in freestyle wrestling in hopes of making the U.S. Olympic team. Once that came up short, he turned his attention to mixed martial arts.
After a win on a card promoted by Jorge Masvidal, Nickal earned an opportunity on Dana White’s Contender Series. He won back-to-back bouts by submission in 62 and 52 seconds, earning a contract with the UFC.
Nickal debuted in 2023, scoring another submission at UFC 285 over Jamie Pickett. He won four more fights, stretching his win streak to seven before a loss to Reinier de Ridder in May of this year.
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