‘Bo Needs Work’

Photo by KENA BETANCUR/AFP via Getty Images

Bo Knows? Nah, Dana Knows.

Mega Middleweight prospect Bo Nickal secured his fifth Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) win at UFC 309 last night (Sat., Nov. 16, 2024) when he defeated Paul Craig via unanimous decision from inside Madison Square Garden in New York City.

Nickal might have gotten a win, but for being a -1100 betting favorite, it was not impressive—it was lackluster to the point that the New York City crowd started chanting, “Overrated.”

UFC CEO Dana White reacted to the performance of his new toy.

“Well, you know, we’ve had these discussions with Bo. Bo needs work,” White told the media during the UFC 309 post-fight press conference (watch here). “Bo is an up-and-coming guy. I know he has big aspirations and wants to move faster than he should, but tonight showed that - I mean, he still dominated, he won the whole fight, but he’s got work to do. It’s alright, we’ll move him. When you’re in a position like Bo is, there’s a lot of expectations.”

Yes, it was a forgettable fight, but to be fair to the three-time NCAA Division I national champion from Penn State University, it was a giant step up in competition to what he was competing against. Craig is no pushover and can be dangerous so Nickal could have been cautious with his approach.

Nevertheless, Nickal’s undefeated record of 7-0 is still intact and still has a bright future.

For complete UFC 309 results, coverage, and highlights click HERE.