Media Bo Nickal: Chimaev gives me confidence for a return - but I'm his biggest threat

[Deceasedxo]

The guy that went to decision with Paul Craig is gonna beat Khamzat?

 

[MrBlackheart]

Bo’s biggest threat is an RDR body knee.

 

[SalvadorAllende]

I think Bo has been working so hard on his striking he forgot that he's a wrestler... if he sees his opportunity to improve by watching K C that's probably a good thing

His striking still sucks. LOL.

 

[Here's Johnny!]

His striking still sucks. LOL.

Yeah, he seems to be a Ben Askren type where it just isn't natural for him... unlike Ben though he hasn't just tried to take down every opponent every time like he should

 

[shunyata]

Bo is an interesting case. I didn't know you could get chronic brain damage from knees to the liver, but here we are.

 

[Spiderbite]

I don't know? Styles make fights.

De Ridder has a very deep bag. So Bo being stopped by him isn't at all surprising.

Against Chimaev though, it would be a completely different fight. I could see Nickal posing a huge problem. Dude's stand up isn't great, but his wrestling is maxxed out.
Think early Askren. It wouldn't be pretty, but he has the tools for an upset.

 

[Luckyme]

Assuming Bo can neutralize the wrestling, Chimaev's B-game is still stronger than Bo's.

Remember Aliskerov stuffed all of Khamzat's takedowns who proceeded to KO him on the feet.

 

[Hassan Mouzine]

if bo thinks he is the biggest threat to khamzat........what are his thoughts on rdr's chances?
because Bo himself asked for the RDR fight and he did not stand a chance, it was violent dominance from Reinier. Didnt Bo ask himself why he asked for the fight in the first place? And aince then I havent heard a word from Bo that he wants the rematch (eventually). I think he is part delusional and partly he knows what's up but likes to talk himself up to the rest of the mma world

 

[orca]

cool story
just wrestle your way eventualy your the UFC champ

sad he cant do it

 

[Hassan Mouzine]

I don't know? Styles make fights.

De Ridder has a very deep bag. So Bo being stopped by him isn't at all surprising.

Against Chimaev though, it would be a completely different fight. I could see Nickal posing a huge problem. Dude's stand up isn't great, but his wrestling is maxxed out.
Think early Askren. It wouldn't be pretty, but he has the tools for an upset.

what is he going to do with his wrestling? Keep it standing? I believe Khamzat is a much more dangerous striker. Take Khamzat down? Good luck with that and even if Bo does succeed.....Khamzat is a much better grappler. People tend to forget that wrestling is only a part of mma grappling. Bo always acts like he is all that because of wrestling but Khazam is a different animal......he is the better grappler. Bo is a better 'wrestler' than Reinier.....why didnt he take him down then?

wrestling is not mma wrestling and mma wrestling is only a part of mma grappling. Bo talks much more than that he delivers

 

[MMACro]

Well, leaving aside the dumb things he says, he actually has a better change against Chimaev than many other ranked fighters, since his wrestling is quite good.

dumb things he says = you just shouldn't say stuff like that when you're coming from a loss

Just wrestling isnt gonna do it
He doesnt have the jiu jitsu to face Chimaev,overall grappling however you wanna call it

 

[moosaev]

I forgot Gregor existed, another D1 failure.

Tbf to Gregor, his heart was never in it. Dude fought once every 16 months, admitted that he hates fighting and spent all his time fishing.

 

[mma fighter]

"I see holes in the game still. I really, really doubt he would be able to take me down. I know that my cardio would hold up. I know for a fact he's not taking
me down quickly..."

He went from he's not taking me down, to he's not taking me down quickly, in the same sentence, he's panic-stricken, just thinking about Chimaev...

He is officially SHOOK!

 

[shunyata]

what is he going to do with his wrestling? Keep it standing? I believe Khamzat is a much more dangerous striker. Take Khamzat down? Good luck with that and even if Bo does succeed.....Khamzat is a much better grappler. People tend to forget that wrestling is only a part of mma grappling. Bo always acts like he is all that because of wrestling but Khazam is a different animal......he is the better grappler. Bo is a better 'wrestler' than Reinier.....why didnt he take him down then?

wrestling is not mma wrestling and mma wrestling is only a part of mma grappling. Bo talks much more than that he delivers

Bo did take RDR down in round 1.

But he got swept and lit up with gnp.

Ended up doing no damage while taking a lot of damage for his troubles.

Even if Bo puts a win streak together I don't think he has anything for Chimaev.

He'd have to make massive gains in his counter striking ability to be a threat.

 

[Trabaho]

Bo did take RDR down in round 1.

But he got swept and lit up with gnp.

Ended up doing no damage while taking a lot of damage for his troubles.

Even if Bo puts a win streak together I don't think he has anything for Chimaev.

He'd have to make massive gains in his counter striking ability to be a threat.

why did you say counter striking ?

 

[shunyata]

why did you say counter striking ?

Because Khamzat fights charging forward with tons of aggression.

Mostly likely way for him to lose to anyone is that he'll eat a counter coming in on his shot or when he's throwing a punch with too much on it.

 

[NicholasJBasile]

I like Nickal -- I know he's the ass of jokes in MMA these days and I get why, but I still think he can do well in this sport. However, his rhetoric is still what you'd hear from someone new to the sport, which he is. I wonder if it would've benefitted him to spend more time on the regional circuits before going to the UFC.

 

[NicholasJBasile]

He is gonna get subbed in his next fight and we will never hear from him again. He will be off doing seminars and fishing with Gregor Gillespie.

Big oof -- I'm still sad that Gillispie hung up the gloves when he did. He was one of my favorites to watch.

 

[NicholasJBasile]

I forgot Gregor existed, another D1 failure.

I wouldn't quite call him a failure -- his career was a success. He didn't win a belt, but he only had one loss in his career. I just never got the idea that he cared much for MMA... okay now that I type this, I kinda get where you're coming from lol

 

[Spiderbite]

what is he going to do with his wrestling? Keep it standing? I believe Khamzat is a much more dangerous striker. Take Khamzat down? Good luck with that and even if Bo does succeed.....Khamzat is a much better grappler. People tend to forget that wrestling is only a part of mma grappling. Bo always acts like he is all that because of wrestling but Khazam is a different animal......he is the better grappler. Bo is a better 'wrestler' than Reinier.....why didnt he take him down then?

wrestling is not mma wrestling and mma wrestling is only a part of mma grappling. Bo talks much more than that he delivers

Bo talks much more than that he delivers

? Bo has one loss?

Khamzat shot for 17 takedowns and kept DDP down and controlled 22'ish minutes of the fight.
He had trouble against short notice Usman with good wrestling and went the distance over 3 rounds.
Now, what happens when he fights someone with Nickal's pedigree who has just seen that he doesn't need to entertain us mouthbreathers and can instead focus on wrestling?
What does Khamzat look like defending against takedowns for 25 minutes?

Like I said, Styles make fights.

We know Chimaev has fantastic wrestling with decent striking that is usually reliant on the fear of the takedown, so why not see what happens when you stick him in there with another fighter with mediocre striking and stellar wrestling.