Top MMA prospect Bo Nickal was not awarded a UFC contract despite submitting his opponent in just 62-seconds on the Contender Series.
Nickal, 26, made quick work of Zachary Borrego on Tuesday night's edition of the Contender Series, taking his opponent down and submitting him with a rear-naked choke just over a minute into the fight. A three-time wrestling champion in the highest level of intercollegiate athletics, some oddsmakers had Nickal as a 35/1 favourite in the fight.
Despite his one-sided win, Nickal was not awarded a UFC deal with Jamal Pogues, Erik Silva and Clayton Carpenter instead being sined to the promotion after winning their respective fights. UFC boss Dana White expained his decision to not sign Nickal just yet, stating: "He’s amazing, he’s one of the hottest prospects in the sport. He’s 2-0, so what we’d like to do is offer him another fight in the Contender Series. If he wins that one, we’d like to invite him into the UFC.”
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Nickal wrestled at Penn State university, home to several former wrestling champions in Cael Sanderson and David Taylor. He was also brought in to help UFC star Jorge Masvidal prepare for his latest fight against Colby Covington in March. Nickal made his MMA debut on Masvidal's iKON FC promotion in June, winning by knockout in just 33-seconds.
White added of Nickal's performance: "He made it look really easy. Let's give him one more fight and let's test him, if he gets past that with flying colours then we bring him in and give him a fight in the UFC. I think only guy has ever come in at 1-0 and did anything, I think it was Brock [Lesnar] I don't remember. He's a stud, we've still got eight or nine weeks left of the Contender Series, so we'll give him another fight on this.
"If he wasn't who he is and he wasn't a 30/1 favourite, I would never sign him at 1-0. I wouldn't do it. I don't know what else he could have done to look any better, the only reason I didn't sign him is because he's 2-0. The matchmakers decide who they like, these unsigned guys that they want to bring in. After I see them [fight], I decide whether they come in or they don't. They brought him in, they obviously think he looks ready. He looks ready, but why not give him one more fight?"
