Mixed martial artist and former freestyle wrestler Bo Nickal has expressed his desire to get in a wrestling match at 190 lbs against the newly crowned NCAA champion, Max McEnelly. This was met with mixed reactions, with McEnelly himself jumping in with a fiery response.
McEnelly was crowned the national champion this past weekend, where he took on Penn State’s Rocco Welsh in the final. The Gophers celebrated the victory with all their might.
As the buzz rolled on, MMA star Nickal shared his thoughts on the bout and issued a challenge. This comes amid Nickal’s frequent engagement with the collegiate scene. He took to this social media and let his idea flow, writing on X:
“I’d like to wrestle Max McEnelly at 190lbs @RAFWrestlingU1SA.”
McEnelly, however, fired back a savage response that rhetorically questioned Nickal’s relevance in the current landscape of combat sports.
“Just trying to stay relevant, huh?”
Nickal, however, tackled the words with sarcasm of his own, writing:
“😂😭 I like this kid.”
Fans also reacted to their exchange and took sides on the technical aspect of who would have the upper hand in the fantasy bout, alongside being skeptical about Bo Nickal not following through on the call-out.
Nickal himself was part of Penn State’s wrestling program and is widely considered the greatest Nittany Lion of all time, with three NCAA championships and the 2019 Dan Hodge Trophy.
Max McEnelly’s Reignites Minnesota’s Championship Legacy
Minnesota’s McEnelly took to the mat this past weekend with Penn State’s Rocco Welsh and secured a 4-3 decision victory. Seeded at No. 3, McEnelly was not the favorite to win, as the Nittany Lions had garnered a No. 1 seed for seven of their wrestlers, including Welsh, and had already come in with a legendary reputation, owing to their historic wrestling program.
McEnelly dominated the second half of the match by avoiding a narrow push, just as the clock ticked zero, thereby grabbing the win. He brought Minnesota’s title drought to an end after Gable Steveson’s 2022 national win at 184 lbs.
The Minnesota Golden Gophers have historically produced legendary champions across weight classes. Some of the key names are Gable Steveson, Brock Lesnar, and Mark Hall.
Read more:
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