Long before Bo Nickal was tearing up the UFC middleweight division, he was a dominant college wrestler on a VIP tour of the White House. However, according to Nickal, that 2019 trip included a completely unexpected offer from Donald Trump himself. Speaking to a Pennsylvania crowd after being brought on stage by the POTUS, the former Penn State icon shared a hilarious story about their first meeting.

Nickal and the rest of the Penn State Nittany Lions wrestling team had just won the 2019 NCAA team championship, which marked Nickal’s third individual national win at 197 pounds. So, because of their extraordinary run, the team was invited to Washington for NCAA Champions Day.

“We were given the opportunity to meet President Trump, and it was really special because he took a lot of extra time to talk with us as wrestlers,” Bo Nickal said. “I told him that when I’m done wrestling, I was going to fight, and he asked me if I needed a manager.

“I thought that he has better things to do than that. Really, since then, I feel like we’ve had a special connection that I’m extremely grateful for.”

It is worth noting that this isn’t the first time that the UFC middleweight told the story. Back in 2024, Bo Nickal told Ariel Helwani about this offer; however, he expanded on it back then by revealing a special invitation he received from Donald Trump after his early UFC run.

“So it kinda started there, and after my second fight in the UFC, he was in the crowd and invited me to come golf with him at Bedminster,” Nickal revealed. “So I flew back to New Jersey that week, we golfed together, and since then he kinda likes me for whatever reason, I don’t know, and of course I loved hanging out with him.

“Loved spending time with him and learning and just talking about stuff. So we’ve hung out a bunch since then.”

Fast forward two years to the historic outdoor UFC Freedom 250 card on the White House South Lawn, when the former NCAA champion found himself fighting just yards from the Oval Office, with a familiar face sitting just behind his coaches.

“I’m fighting on the White House lawn, and I turn and look at my corner, and President Trump is right next to him,” he told the Pennsylvania crowd. “And so it really felt to me like he was in my corner. I know that was something that was just so special, and I feel just incredibly grateful.

“And overall, the whole week of the experience, everything, the word that kept coming to mind, and the emotion that I kept feeling was gratitude.”

And well, Bo Nickal fought like a man possessed. Stepping into the Octagon against Kyle Daukaus, who was on a terrifying six-fight winning streak, the former NCAA champion completely destroyed him in the very first round. The 30-year-old secured a signature takedown in 35 seconds and dragged Daukaus to the canvas.

When referee Jason Herzog eventually ordered a stand-up, Bo Nickal didn’t bother resetting. Instead, he landed a powerful overhand right that dropped Daukaus instantly, followed by a flurry of devastating ground-and-pound elbows to end the fight at 4:34 in the first round.

But it seems like the middleweight contender isn’t spending too much time celebrating his White House masterclass, though.

Bo Nickal books himself a massive grappling showdown against 2026 NCAA champion Max McEnelly

The three-time NCAA champion will make his official return to Cleveland for Real American Freestyle (RAF) 12 on August 22. The promotion, founded in 2025 by Chad Bronstein, Terri Francis, and Hulk Hogan, has booked the 30-year-old for its first anniversary card, and the matchmakers paired him against a serious problem.

Bo Nickal will face Max McEnelly, the 2026 NCAA champion, in a highly anticipated light heavyweight battle contested at 215 pounds. For the unaware, McEnelly is an absolute monster out of the University of Minnesota.

Following a remarkable high school career as a four-time state champion, he earned Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors and just won the 184-pound national title by defeating Penn State’s own Rocco Welsh in the final.

However, Bo Nickal is no stranger to the RAF mats, having headlined the promotion’s inaugural card in August 2025, defeating Jacob Cardenas via decision. Following that, the UFC middleweight was booked for a major crossover bout against Olympic silver medalist Yoel Romero, but the fight was called off when the Cuban failed to make weight.

Nickal now has the opportunity to pit his freestyle skills against the next generation of college elite. Even though the full Cleveland card is still being finalized, RAF organizers have already confirmed another huge hit for the night: Tyron Woodley, former UFC welterweight champion, steps onto the mat to face off against Joaquin Buckley. So, it surely looks like wrestling fans are up for a great summer treat.