LAS VEGAS – UFC CEO Dana White stopped Bo Nickal as he exited the cage at UFC 300 to have a conversation.
Nickal (6-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC), who was disappointed in his performance after submitting Cody Brundage in the second round of the pay-per-view opener, appeared to listen attentively while White spoke.
UFC CEO Dana White left his seat to chat with Bo Nickal after his #UFC300 win.
What did he say? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/P9xGsfoUtJ
— MMA Junkie (@MMAJunkie) April 14, 2024
But what exactly did White tell Nickal in that moment? Apparently, the words White relayed helped Nickal change his mood for the better.
“He just told me great job, keep my head up, keep doing what I’m doing, and I’m going to be a massive, massive star,” Nickal told reporters at a post-fight news conference. “I think that if anybody knows what the future holds, it’s him. He’s been in this game pushing this sport forward more than anyone.
“It was very cool for him to do that. To me, that says a lot about him, not only as a promoter, but as a person. Because I’ll be honest, I was a little down on myself after the fight. Because I’m like, ‘Man, I just expect to starch all these guys and never get touched.’ But I did just get some adversity, and with that, I think it was cool to hear from him just some reassurance right in that moment. That made me like him even more than I already do.”
Nickal’s win over Brundage (10-6 MMA, 4-5 UFC) was just the third of his UFC run. It was the first time in his career he reached the second round, but still resulted in a stoppage, like all of his pro fights thus far.
Nickal hopes to get a step up in competition for his next fight, as he called out UFC-ranked middleweight Anthony Hernandez.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 300.
Be sure to visit the MMA Junkie Instagram page and YouTube channel to discuss this and more content with fans of mixed martial arts.
