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Rising middleweight prospect Bo Nickal may very well be the future of the entire UFC.
But the undefeated star went back to his roots over the weekend to start a beef with Olympic gold medalist wrestler Jordan Burroughs during the 2024 NCAA Wrestling Championships.
Burroughs joined former UFC champion and current commentator Daniel Cormier on the call for the finals of the events.
His beef with Nickal began during the 174-pound championship, which featured Penn State star Carter Starocci looking to become only the sixth four-time champion in NCAA history.
Starocci, however, was competing with a large brace on his knee after suffering a significant injury (believed to be a torn ACL) just a month prior.
During the match, Burroughs was asked whether he would deliberately target the leg if he were wrestling Starocci. To which, he understandably said “yes.”
Nickal, a Penn State alum, did not take kindly to that comment.
Really classy Jordan Burroughs as a commentator saying you’d target Starocci’s injury in competition. Sad that you think that way and even if you do you should keep that to yourself it’s unprofessional. For all your accomplishments I’d expect more.
— Bo Nickal (@NoBickal) March 24, 2024
“Really classy Jordan Burroughs as a commentator saying you’d target Starocci’s injury in competition. Sad that you think that way and even if you do you should keep that to yourself it’s unprofessional. For all your accomplishments I’d expect more,” he tweeted.
Burroughs quickly fired back.
You punch guys in the face for a living. Shut up. https://t.co/O9pQtYcozt
— Jordan Burroughs (@alliseeisgold) March 24, 2024
“You punch guys in the face for a living. Shut up,” the six-time world champion and 2012 Olympic gold medalist responded.”
That didn’t sit well with Nickal.
You should stick to wrestling not commentating because you can’t stop talking about yourself. https://t.co/QUkLCSfYQP
— Bo Nickal (@NoBickal) March 24, 2024
“You should stick to wrestling not commentating because you can’t stop talking about yourself,” he fired back.
That appeared to be the end of things from Burroughs’ side. But Nickal also then challenged him to a fight, stating that wrestling and MMA had different unwritten rules about targeting an injury.
Nickal has never been one to shy away from the spotlight. Which is part of why the UFC decided to put him on the main car of its upcoming UFC 300 pay-per-view, despite fans speaking out against the decision.
Starocci, meanwhile, went on to win the match, 2-0. He’s now sent to enter a bracket that will contain Burroughs and several others at next month’s Olympic Trials.