Bo Nickal OK with gradual strategy to high, needs first UFC title battle ‘to appear like a masterclass’

Bo Nickal needs to be an simple UFC champion.

Nickal (6-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) takes on Paul Craig (17-8-1 MMA, 9-8-1 UFC) in a middleweight bout Nov. 16 on the UFC 309 most important card at Madison Sq. Backyard. Regardless of his dominance within the octagon, Nickal has opted to take an ample period of time between every battle. He continues to get criticized for his lack of exercise, however the standout wrestler explains how his scenario is completely different.

“For me, a very powerful factor is growing, and I don’t wish to skip steps on growth,” Nickal mentioned on the “MightyCast” podcast. “You talked about Diego Lopes. … These guys have 20-plus professional fights. He feels he’s able to go. I fought six instances in just a little over two years. So, is that rare? I wouldn’t say it’s rare. I believe folks perhaps neglect that I’ve solely been preventing because the summer season of 2022 professionally. However with that being mentioned, I believe it’s actually an excellent factor as a result of folks wish to see me battle. They wish to see me compete, and personally I wish to compete as a lot as I can, however on the finish of the day, it’s like, let’s say I battle a ranked man subsequent, then I battle a high 5 man, after which I’m preventing for the title. It’s not like this lengthy path that I’ve to get to the place I wish to go.

“So for me, the event and the advance, a whole lot of it has to occur in coaching. I really feel like I can compete with and beat the most effective guys on the earth proper now, however I don’t need it to be aggressive when it occurs. So, once I go on the market and I’m competing for the belt, I need it to appear like a masterclass the place this man’s not even on my degree. I believe proper now there’s a whole lot of enhancements that I must make to get to that time. I believe that it’s not all one hundred pc as much as me with the timing of how issues work out, however I’m going to do my greatest to be ready. And I really feel like I’ve been put ready the place I’ve to make these enhancements in coaching, and I don’t have the luxurious of having the ability to get 15-20 fights earlier than I’m there. Like I’m realistically in all probability going to be there at 10-11 fights.”

Along with his expertise and notable wins over former UFC mild heavyweight champion Jamahal Hill and high contender Magomed Ankalaev, Craig presents Nickal’s hardest take a look at thus far on paper.

Nonetheless, oddsmakers nonetheless have Nickal as a heavy favourite. In accordance with DraftKings, Nickal is a -1000 favourite over Craig, who’s a +600 underdog.

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