Bo Nickal‘s decision to not compete against Yoel Romero, who missed weight, has sparked debate about his career choices and mindset, with analyst Kenny Florian suggesting Nickal’s potential is high but his ego and training approach could limit his progress.
Bo Nickal’s career in combat sports continues to spark intrigue—even when he’s not in the ring. His absence from last Saturday’s RAF 5 event has people talking again.
Originally, Nickal was set to face Yoel Romero in the co-main event. But things took a turn when Romero missed weight by seven pounds, according to Nickal. Instead of competing, Nickal chose to step back, leaving Romero to face Stephen Buchanan, where Romero lost via tech fall.
This isn’t the first time a match between Nickal and Romero has fallen through. Although Romero’s weight miss was the issue, Nickal faced criticism for opting out of the fight.
Kenny Florian, a former fighter and analyst, shared his thoughts on the situation on Submission Radio. He questioned Nickal’s decision, pondering whether it was about preserving his brand or just avoiding potential defeat.
Florian speculated that Nickal might be wary of another loss after his defeat to Reinier de Ridder. He suggested that Nickal might be taking wrestling matches too seriously, considering the stakes aren’t as high as in MMA.
Romero, despite his age, is a highly accomplished wrestler on the international stage. Florian noted that losing to someone of Romero’s caliber shouldn’t be seen negatively.
Nickal’s journey from a stellar collegiate wrestling career to MMA has been impressive. He quickly found success, winning his first fights in the UFC and Dana White’s Contender Series. Yet, his momentum slowed after a forgettable win over Paul Craig and a loss to de Ridder.
Despite these setbacks, Florian believes Nickal has championship potential if he can refine his skills. He emphasized the importance of mindset and training, expressing concern over Nickal’s small training camp.
Florian sees Nickal’s responsiveness to criticism as both beneficial and detrimental. He suggested that embracing his true self might be more advantageous than trying to fit a specific persona.
Nickal’s approach to the business has brought him success but also challenges. Florian called it a "double-edged sword," highlighting the need for professional athletes to not care about public opinion.
Ultimately, Florian hinted that Nickal’s decision not to wrestle Romero might have been influenced by concerns about his ego and public perception.