Rising UFC middleweight Bo Nickal is still predicting great things for his future, but that won’t stop him taking some time off this year.
Nickal, following his first-round demolition of Val Woodburn at UFC 290, appeared on The MMA Hour to reveal that he may not fight again until next year, even if his derails his hype train.
Bo Nickal Warns Of Hype-Killing UFC Layoff
“There’s a chance [I don’t fight again this year]. I could easily fight two more times. I could fight next week if I wanted, but for me, everything that I’m training for and preparing for is my 10th title defense down the road. I’m not preparing for my next fight.
That’s my mindset always, so I’m going to do what prepares me best for 10 title defenses. Of course, the more I fight with less time in between fights, the bigger the hype grows and stuff. But that’s honestly to me pretty irrelevant. I don’t care about hype, or how much people are talking about me. I’m just here to fight.”
There are some pretty major changes coming in Nickal’s life, so a short sabbatical might be the right thing for him. “Like I announced, my wife is pregnant, and I want to make sure I’m there for her.
I also have in September a bunch of hunting trips planned. I’m going to be in New Mexico, I’ll be in Alaska, I’ll be in Colorado, and I’m running all around. We’ll see.
It’s definitely possible that I fight again this year but I’m going to be in the gym getting better. I’ve had five fights in the past 13 months, which is quite a few, so I definitely want to just continue to get better and develop and improve. So we’ll see what makes sense.”
Nickal, with only five professional fights under his belt, is already planning a major legacy. “I’m not in a rush.
We’ll get there. We’ll get to where I want to be in due time. For me, I’m 27, I’ve probably got another eight years of prime fighting.
Even up to 35, I think I’ll still be in my prime, because of my discipline, and my work ethic, and my commitment inside the cage and outside. I’ve got a long time to keep competing. So for me, it’s no rush.
I’m 5-0. Whoever the UFC gives me, whoever Dana [White] and Hunter [Campbell] decide that makes sense for me to fight then I’m ready to go. But I’ll get the belt and achieve my goals in due time. Right now, I’m not in a rush.
I could be fighting a ranked opponent by [International Fight Week 2024] but it’s interesting because once I fight a ranked guy and finish that guy in the first round, then it’s like the rocket ship is all the way up to the top quick.”
