Cody Brundage is set to face Bo Nickal at UFC 300, with Nickal being a 25-to-1 favorite to win, but Brundage believes he can give anyone problems on his best night and plans to test Nickal’s unproven skills in the upcoming fight.
Cody Brundage didn’t even flinch. The question of facing Bo Nickal at UFC 300 was thrown at him, and he caught it with ease. Yet, he wasn’t oblivious to the narrative that was slowly taking shape in the run-up to the fight.
“He’s got no chance,” they said.
Nickal, the three-time NCAA champion wrestler from Penn State, was a formidable opponent. He’d stepped into the UFC after just three professional fights, two of which were on Dana White’s Contender Series. His career stats were intimidating – five fights, less than six minutes in the cage, two knockouts, and three submissions.
When Saturday rolls around, Brundage might just be the biggest underdog in UFC history. Nickal was already a 25-to-1 favorite. But Brundage wasn’t fazed. He knew what he was getting into when he signed the contract.
“My career’s been a rollercoaster,” Brundage confessed to MMA Fighting. “They don’t know which Cody they’re gonna get. They’re thinking, ‘Bo Nickal might just steamroll him.’ But we’re hoping for the best Cody to show up.”
He added, “I don’t think the UFC sees this as a competitive fight. It’s kinda crazy. Even in my losses, I’ve never been steamrolled. Most of the time, I’m winning till I lose.”
Brundage’s UFC career was a mixed bag. Eight fights, 4-4 record, a couple of knockouts, a submission, and some losses. He’d lost a couple of decisions, been knocked out once, and submitted once.
Brundage was candid about his struggles in the UFC. He admitted he was to blame for his lack of momentum. But he was also confident. On his best night, he could give anyone a run for their money, including Nickal.
“I’ve got more finishes in the UFC than all of Bo’s past opponents’ combined wins,” Brundage pointed out. “When you’re fighting someone who can hurt you, it changes things. Bo knows I can hurt him. That changes how you fight. There’s a real threat of danger, and I’m not scared of wrestling. I’m not here to be a pushover.”
Brundage’s struggles in the UFC were mostly self-inflicted, he confessed. He was working with Marc Montoya at Factory X in Denver to fix those issues. He was determined to bring his A-game on Saturday.
“I think I’ve been too impatient,” Brundage admitted. “I’d get in there and I’d want to get out. Sometimes it worked. I had a few first-round finishes. But sometimes, it backfired. Jumping guillotine against Rodolfo Vieira? Not the best plan. I wasn’t thinking about what would happen if I didn’t get him.”
He added, “I think it’s about experience. It’s about comfort and maturity. It takes time. It takes wins and losses. Ups and downs. I don’t think I’ve shown my full potential yet, but I’m figuring it out.”
Brundage respected Nickal. He understood the hype. But he also knew that Nickal hadn’t really been tested yet.
In his four UFC fights (including two on The Contender Series), Nickal had only taken three strikes. He’d never been knocked down or taken down. Brundage wanted to test those unknowns on Saturday.
“We don’t know about his cardio. He’s never gone more than three minutes,” Brundage pointed out. “We don’t know about his chin. He’s never been hit hard. We don’t know how much he really wants to fight. It’s easy when you’re the hammer. It’s fun. But it’s not fun when you’re getting beat.”
He continued, “I’ve been beaten quite a bit, but I know this is what I want to do. I keep hearing him say, ‘I can’t wait to compete.’ When I started, I felt the same. But now, it’s a fight. It’s not a competition. That’s what sets our sport apart.”