Bo Nickal is perhaps the most hyped prospect in the UFC, possibly ever. Coming off of a distinguished collegiate wrestling career, the Penn State alumni was billed as the next big thing in the promotion as soon as he signed with them.

The only other person who can match his hype is middleweight prospect Khamzat Chimaev. And despite ‘Bo’ having only three fights in the UFC, a possible match-up between the two men has been talked about since last year. These speculations, of course, have gained momentum after ‘Borz’ criticized Nickal’s UFC 300 performance and the latter came back with a response. However, UFC commentator Chael Sonnen thinks there may be something fishy going on.

Sonnen thinks rumors of Khamzat Chimaev US entry ban are true

After Bo Nickal defeated Cody Brundage in the second round of their UFC 300 main card bout, Khamzat Chimaev took to social media, expressing his disdain and calling the 3-time NCAA D1 wrestling champion’s wrestling abilities “bullsh**.”

Nickal responded, expressing satisfaction that the middleweight was talking about him and promised to “ragdoll” the Chechnyan if they ever fought. Verbose UFC commentator and analyst, Chael Sonnen was delighted to see this. The former title contender was fully on-board for a Chimaev vs. Nickal clash. However, he was puzzled on the reasons behind the bout not having taken place yet.

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This led the legendary talker to wonder if the rumors around Chimaev not being allowed in the US were true after all.

“I am going to speculate right now, I do not know but I am starting to believe that there’s something to this idea of Chimaev and a travel ban. Very strange that I would be the one to come out and support the rumor of Chimaev in a travel ban,” Sonnen said in a YouTube video.

It has been rumored since last year that Chimaev still holds a Russian passport, despite fighting under the Swedish (and now) UAE flag. Given the war in Ukraine and because he is close to the Chechnyan warlord Ramzan Kadyrov, who is an essential part of the Russian war effort, there have been speculations that ‘Borz’ is actually banned from entering the US. While no official word has come from either the fighter, his camp, or the UFC, this remains firmly in the realm of conspiracy theory.

Chimaev-Whittaker set for June 23 at the UFC’s first Saudi card

The UFC has promised to put on the “best Fight night card ever” in the first UFC Fight Night card in Saudi Arabia. And given that the promotion has booked Khamzat Chimaev, one of the biggest superstars on the promotion to headline it, the UFC seems to have come through on the promise.

‘Borz’ will face former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker on the June 23 card with the winner expected to be one or at the most, two steps away from a title shot. Chimaev, who was officially the number one title contender after his UFC 294 victory last year, missed out on a UFC 297 title shot that saw Dricus Du Plessis win the title off of then-champion Sean Strickland. What are your predictions for the Saudi Fight Night card?