Since he arrived in the UFC, Bo Nickal was never going to have your standard trajectory up the middleweight ladder.
Before the incredibly accomplished wrestler had even stepped foot inside a cage for his first pro fight, there was a lot of hype surrounding his potential.
He has lived up to the lofty expectations thus far with three wins and finishes inside the Octagon but now, he faces his toughest test to date at the world's most famous arena.
Nickal recently revealed during an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show that this will be his second time competing at Madison Square Garden which is a venue that he has unfinished business with:
"Yeah I actually did once so my freshman year of college was MSG and unfortunately, that was the one that I didn't win so I'll get a little bit of redemption, so I'm excited."
On the main card of UFC 309 this Saturday night, the undefeated 28-year old will face off with Scotland's Paul Craig.
With 18 UFC bouts to his name, "Bearjew" has one of the most unique styles of anyone on the roster as a submission specialist that is the most dangerous off his back.
Nickal believes that Craig will be the biggest threat that he has encountered thus far but that danger factor is exactly what he wants.
"Yeah I agree with that. I think of course, a lot of people know Paul Craig and he's had some really big wins in his career and he's a dangerous opponent, you know. He's finished guys that have been champions and have fought for the title so this is definitely the most dangerous fight I've had up to this point and a big step up but I feel prepared and ready to just continue to build my reputation."
Wrestling versus jiu-jitsu is a classic style match-up in MMA but it also gives Nickal an opportunity to answer a question that he hasn't been faced with yet.
We already know that he can beat people with his wrestling or finish people on the feet if the opportunity presents itself but that happens when he faces someone that can pose him a legitimate threat on the ground?
"I think that for me, it's just another puzzle to solve, it's another challenge to face and I'm looking to continue to develop my skills overall and improve and get better as a fighter so this is a different challenge than what I've had in the past and it makes it more fun for me. For me, fighting is all, it's a little bit physical but it's mostly mental and so I'm looking forward to just going out there and showcasing my mind and my fight IQ and just the way that I can continue to control opponents and dominate every second."
Watch the full interview below:
