Dana White reacts to Bo Nickal getting booed mercilessly after UFC 309 performance

UFC CEO Dana White weighed in on the crowd's hostile reaction to middleweight Bo Nickal's victory at UFC 309.

Dana White admitted that UFC middleweight prospect Bo Nickal should probably slow down his MMA pursuits after a lackluster performance at UFC 309.

Nickal defeated Paul Craig by unanimous decision at UFC 309 and remained undefeated in the cage. The former NCAA Division I wrestling superstar used an unorthodox approach against wrestling ace Craig to cruise to a win on the judges' scorecards.

Despite scoring the biggest win of his young MMA career, the crowd was reluctant to shower Nickal with praise when the official decision was read out. Chants of “Overrated!” boomed throughout Madison Square Garden in the closing minutes of Nickal vs. Craig, aimed at the generation.

Nickal's cautious approach against Craig frustrated the crowd present. After a pair of quick finishes inside the Octagon, Nickal's last two victories have featured some snail-paced moments.

White has a plan in mind for Nickal after the boo birds overwhelmed the venue following his UFC 309 victory.

Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

Dana White admits Bo Nickal 'needs work' after UFC 309

During the UFC 309 post-fight press conference, White responded to the crowd's harsh reaction to Nickal's win.

“We've had these conversations with Bo, Bo needs work,” White said. “Bo is an up and coming man. I know he has big ambitions and wants to move faster than he should, but tonight showed… that he is still dominant, he won the whole fight, but he has work to do…

“And that's fine, we'll move him. When you're in a position like Bo, there are a lot of expectations.”

White did not go into details about his ongoing conversations with Nickal about his career trajectory. But he will likely face some lesser competition before testing himself against the middleweight elite, including his dream matchup with Khamzat Chimaev.

Before UFC 309, Nickal defeated Cody Brundage earlier this year at UFC 300 via second-round submission. Although it was a slow fight, Nickal demonstrated the ability to overcome early adversity against the veteran Brundage.

Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC

Bo Nickal's UFC rise hits a speed bump at UFC 309

Nickal was heralded as the UFC's next big superstar after back-to-back quick finishes on Dana White's Contender Series. After Nickal finished off his first DWCS opponent in just over a minute, White opted to give Nickal another chance to gain additional experience, submitting Donovan Beard in his second DWCS showcase.

Nickal quickly appeared on the UFC radar after a 33-second knockout in his MMA debut. He finished John Noland at Jorge Masvidal's iKON FC 3 before appearing on DWCS just two months later.

Nickal's elite wrestling skills make him a dangerous middleweight prospect to be reckoned with for years to come. He was one of the most destructive forces in collegiate wrestling during his career at Penn State, winning multiple national championships on the mats.

White and the UFC matchmakers will re-examine Nickal's career trajectory after another sluggish outing at UFC 309. While Nickal's talent is undeniable, it sounds like White will proceed cautiously in retaining one of the brightest young stars in the franchise. build promotion.

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