Bo Nickal's College Journey: Where Did He Study and Compete?
Bo Nickal is a former collegiate wrestling champion and an undefeated UFC middleweight fighter. He made his professional MMA debut in June 2022 with a first-round knockout of John Noland. Gaining recognition through Dana White’s Contender Series, Nickal earned a UFC contract in September 2022. With a perfect 7-0 record, he most recently defeated Paul Craig by decision at UFC 309 in November 2024.
Born on January 14, 1996, in Rifle, Colorado, Nickal moved to Wyoming as a kid and began wrestling at age five or six. He later relocated to Allen in Texas and went to Allen High School, where he was ranked ninth nationally in high school wrestling. He was a three-time state champion, with a 183-7 record with 131 pins.
After graduating from Penn State University, where he won three NCAA Division I championships, Nickal went on to capture the 2019 US Open national championship and the U23 World Championship in freestyle wrestling. He also became a finalist at the 2020 US Olympic Team Trials.
Yes, Bo Nickal attended the Pennsylvania State University (PSU) from 2014 to 2018.
Bo Nickal enjoyed a dominant college wrestling career at Penn State, recording a standout 120-3 record with a 97.65% win rate and a 76.77% bonus rate. He was a three-time NCAA champion, winning titles at three different weight classes (174, 184, and 197 lbs) from 2017 to 2019.
Nickal went undefeated in his final two seasons, including a perfect 30-0 senior year with a 90% bonus rate, underlining his status as one of the most prolific and dominant wrestlers in NCAA history.
Bo Nickal’s Penn State career record in wrestling is as follows:
| Season | Year | Rank | Weight Class | Record | Win | Bonus |
| 2019 | Senior | #1 (1st) | 197 | 30–0 | 100.00% | 90.00% |
| 2018 | Junior | #1 (1st) | 184 | 31–0 | 100.00% | 74.19% |
| 2017 | Sophomore | #2 (1st) | 184 | 26–1 | 96.30% | 77.78% |
| 2016 | Freshman | #1 (2nd) | 174 | 33–2 | 94.29% | 65.71% |
| Career | 120–3 | 97.65% | 76.77% | |||
| Event | Medal | Year | Location | Weight Class |
| NCAA Division I Championships | ||||
| NCAA Championships | Gold | 2017 | St. Louis | 184 lb |
| NCAA Championships | Gold | 2018 | Cleveland | 184 lb |
| NCAA Championships | Gold | 2019 | Pittsburgh | 197 lb |
| NCAA Championships | Silver | 2016 | New York | 174 lb |
| Big Ten Championships | ||||
| Big Ten Championships | Gold | 2016 | Iowa City | 174 lb |
| Big Ten Championships | Gold | 2018 | East Lansing | 184 lb |
| Big Ten Championships | Gold | 2019 | Minneapolis | 197 lb |
| Big Ten Championships | Bronze | 2017 | Bloomington | 184 lb |
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Bo Nickal majored in kinesiology at Pennsylvania State University from 2014 to 2018.
Bo Nickal currently holds a blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, the rank just above beginner, not a black belt. In BJJ, belt progression moves from white (beginner) to blue (basic), then to purple (advanced), brown (expert), and finally black (mastery).
During a 2023 appearance on the Johnny Drinks podcast, Nickal shared that in his very first BJJ class, he reportedly submitted multiple higher-ranked practitioners, including blue, purple, and brown belts, before eventually grappling with the black belt instructor.
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