Bo Nickal has arguably scored one of the most impressive victories of his competitive combat sports career by defeating a former Olympic gold medalist at Real American Freestyle’s latest event. However, the UFC middleweight’s victory over the legendary wrestler failed to earn much appreciation from fans.

Tonight, the former Penn State wrestler clashed with 2008 Olympic gold medalist Shirvani Muradov in a freestyle wrestling showdown at RAF Moscow, which is headlined by Khamzat Chimaev vs. Tyron Woodley. After a hard-fought battle, Bo Nickal ultimately defeated the 41-year-old by an 11-8 score to secure the victory.

For the UFC middleweight, the bout marked the third time he has competed at an RAF event as an active MMA fighter. For Muradov, however, it was his first notable competitive appearance in years. The Dagestani represented Russia at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where he won gold by defeating Kazakhstan’s Taimuraz Tigiev in the men’s freestyle light heavyweight final, winning both periods 1-0.

Even before that, Muradov had already etched his name in the history books as the 2007 European champion. But winning Olympic gold in 2008 cemented his legacy in Russian and international wrestling. Interestingly, that was also the same year former UFC two-division champion Henry Cejudo won his Olympic gold medal in Beijing.

Considering those achievements, there’s no denying that Bo Nickal defeated a legitimate wrestling legend at RAF Moscow. More importantly, he did so in freestyle wrestling, the discipline in which Muradov became an Olympic champion in 2008. However, fans weren’t particularly impressed by the UFC middleweight’s victory for one major reason.

Many believe the former NCAA champion’s win doesn’t carry the same weight because Muradov is now 41 years old and well past his prime. As a result, fans didn’t hold back in sharing their reactions after Nickal’s victory over the former Olympic gold medalist.

Fans criticize Bo Nickal after defeating Shirvani Muradov at RAF Moscow event 

One fan chimed in, writing, “Beat a 41-year-old.” Another fan echoed the sentiment, commenting, “Bro, Muradov is 41y old, not a surprise.”

Born on June 20, 1985, Muradov recently turned 41. Indeed, the Russian Olympic gold medalist is nowhere near the form he showed during his prime in 2008. Even so, he stepped onto the mat against an active UFC fighter known for his wrestling prowess and extensive NCAA freestyle background, which deserves appreciation in its own right.

On the other hand, Nickal defeated Muradov in a freestyle wrestling bout that both fighters agreed to and signed up for. While the age difference inevitably took away from the competitiveness of the matchup, the UFC middleweight still had to earn the victory. Another fan pointed out that being an Olympic champion doesn’t make someone unbeatable.

“Olympic champion doesn’t mean he’s unbeatable. Lessons here,” the fan commented. Another fan also highlighted Muradov’s age, writing, “Good for Bo, tho Muradov is a 2008 Olympic champ. That is he is very old.”

Even though Bo Nickal didn’t receive much appreciation for his RAF victory, some fans also pointed out that the former Penn State wrestler’s own decorated NCAA background played a major role in his success in Moscow.

“I mean he was a 3 time natty champ,” a fan commented.

Indeed, Nickal never competed in the Olympics, but he dominated the NCAA wrestling scene. As the fan pointed out, the 30-year-old won three NCAA championships before transitioning to full-time MMA. He also defeated Josh Hokit, who currently competes in the heavyweight division.

For this reason, Bo Nickal’s elite wrestling credentials, combined with the significant age gap, clearly worked in his favor in Moscow. Still, defeating a former Olympic champion in his own discipline remains a notable achievement, even if the result came against a fighter well beyond his prime.

Now, it will be interesting to see what RAF has in store for Nickal after his latest victory. Perhaps the promotion will look to revisit the Yoel Romero matchup after their clash was canceled twice.

Regardless, Nickal’s side quest in freestyle wrestling continues to gain momentum, while his UFC return against Israel Adesanya at Madison Square Garden also appears to be taking shape.