“He was saying that he’s going to be champion in like two years… He was delusional, you know what I mean? He’s not on the level,” said UFC middleweight star Caio Borralho, taking aim at fellow fighter Bo Nickal, once hailed by fans and POTUS Donald Trump due to his spectacular NCAA wrestling credentials. For a while, everything appeared to be falling perfectly into place for the 29-year-old UFC prospect, who carried massive hype into each fight. However, one tough loss forced the wrestling prodigy to reassess and go back to the drawing board.

But at UFC Des Moines in May, that momentum came to a crashing halt when veteran Reinier de Ridder knocked Bo Nickal out cold in the second round. The shocking defeat triggered a wave of backlash, with fans labeling Nickal as one of the most “overrated” fighters in the division. It must be why a few weeks ago, when the NCAA wrestling star was added to the main card of the UFC 322 at MSG in New York, fans were left triggered with many asking him to be pushed down below. It appears Dana White has heeded the demands of the fans.

Bo Nickal loses spot on UFC 322 main card

Latest reports confirm that the UFC 322 main card will now kick off with 155-pounders Beneil Dariush vs. Benoit Saint-Denis in the championship rounds, as revealed: “🚨 Bo Nickal vs Rodolfo Vieira has been demoted to the prelims of #UFC322 Beneil Dariush vs Benoit Saint-Denis will now open the main card.” Meanwhile, the card features two major title fights at Madison Square Garden: Jack Della Maddalena vs Islam Makhachev for the welterweight title, and Valentina Shevchenko vs Zhang Weili for the women’s flyweight crown.

Among the lightweight fighters, both Dariush and Saint-Denis bring considerable experience to the octagon, with Dariush standing out as a UFC veteran of over a decade. His reliability and proven track record make him the ideal replacement for the spot originally expected for Bo Nickal, who must now prove himself in the prelims against BJJ legend Rodolfo Vieira (11-3-0).

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Although he has been away from the Octagon since his loss to RDR, the middleweight contender recently returned to competition in an RAF wrestling match against Jacob Cardenas, where he earned a decision win. Nickal currently holds a 4-1 record in the UFC. He made the leap to Dana White’s Contender Series after just one pro MMA fight, a rapid rise that many believe fueled some early overconfidence, something Nickal has since admitted.

Bo Nickal admits past arrogance as he readies for his UFC 322 comeback

After his first professional MMA loss, critics like Joe Pyfer, Darren Till, and fans alike didn’t hold back in targeting Bo Nickal. An internet meme campaign even emerged mocking the 29-year-old American star. Nickal had previously gone viral for saying he would prefer to “retire,” rather than fight on the UFC prelims. At the time, he saw himself as a superstar, believing that his status as a three-time NCAA Division I wrestling champion guaranteed him a spot on the UFC main card, which drew further criticism from fans.

Since then, things have changed. The loss to Reinier de Ridder last summer appears to have humbled the American star. Reflecting on the experience during an appearance on the Ariel Helwani Show, Nickal said, “I remember the specific instance when you asked me if I was going to be on the ‘Prelims,’ and I scoffed at it. I was definitely arrogant, but there was a little bit of truth to that in my position, but at the same time, it was arrogant. So, now I don’t really care where I fight. If UFC wants to put me first on the fight card, then I’m happy to do it.”

Now that he finds himself back on the prelims, what do you think about Bo Nickal’s future with Dana White and the UFC? Can the American star regain the momentum he once had? Share your predictions below.