In his thoughts, Bo Nickal had made the stroll to the Octagon many instances earlier than.
This Saturday evening, the three-time NCAA Division I nationwide champion will do it for actual when he makes his official debut as a part of a stacked lineup at UFC 285. Welcoming him to fight sports activities’ grandest stage shall be Jamie Pickett, a 13-8 fighter with eight of these victories coming by the use of knockout.
Forward of his extremely anticipated debut, Bo Nickal addressed the media to reply questions on his mindset going into his huge debut on the T-Cell Area and the way he plans to deal with the strain of the second by way of visualization.
“I feel the vital factor about visualization is making it actually actual, making it a extremely visceral expertise,” Nickal informed reporters throughout a pre-fight information convention. “I feel there’s method that goes into visualization, similar to there’s method that goes into combating. For me, it’s making the expertise as actual as doable, imagining not solely what I’ll see however what it’s going to sound like, what it’s going to scent like, what the concrete goes to really feel like beneath my ft, what the cage goes to really feel like below my ft, and simply making it as actual as doable for me.
“So once I go in there for the primary time, it actually gained’t be the primary time as a result of I’ve imagined it so many instances in my thoughts. That’s only a very highly effective apply” (h/t MMA Junkie).
Bo Nickal Envisions Himself Competing within the Greatest Struggle in UFC Historical past
One imaginative and prescient that Bo Nickal hopes to make a actuality is a battle with undefeated Chechen monster Khamzat Chimaev. Nickal envisions the “inevitable” showdown happening in Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium with a packed crowd of 100,000 folks there to see what he believes would be the largest battle in UFC historical past.
“(Khamzat Chimaev) might be the largest, most hyped man developing proper now that hasn’t gained a belt but. I feel finally, us clashing is inevitable. That’s one thing that I visualize in my coaching and once I’m in a tough exercise, getting my final bike dash in, getting my final rep in, within the weight room, I’m visualizing that.
“Whether or not that battle is available in a yr, or three years, or 5 years, or no matter it’s, I’ll be prepared. I do numerous visualization and I see that battle occurring as a important occasion in Raiders’ Stadium in entrance of 100,0000 folks. I feel it might be the largest battle in UFC historical past. Solely time will inform whether or not or not we get that, however I’m doing all the pieces in my energy to make that occur.”
After dispatching Zack Borrego and Donovan Beard in back-to-back fights on Dana White‘s Contender Collection, Bo Nickal expressed his want to compete towards Chimaev throughout an look on Michael Bisping’s Imagine You Me podcast. In fact, Nickal has a protracted solution to go earlier than the UFC can justify giving him a crack on the No. 3 ranked welterweight contender. A decisive win on Saturday evening can be step one towards making that chance a actuality.
Are you interested by seeing Bo Nickal put his collegiate wrestling expertise to the take a look at towards Khamzat Chimaev?
