Bo Nickal has never been shy about seeing bigger stages for the sport he now calls home, and ahead of UFC 322, he found himself discussing something far beyond the usual fight-week banter. While talking about his heroes, concerts, and his recovery from his first MMA loss, the 29-year-old dropped his biggest wish: to see MMA as an Olympic sport. And coming from a three-time NCAA Division I wrestling champion, the idea did not sound like a gimmick.

It sounded like someone who understood both worlds: the Olympic wrestling tradition and MMA’s global reach. So, the American fighter simply sees a gap that needs to be addressed. For Bo Nickal, including MMA in something as historic as the LA 2028 Games is more than just a nice idea; it’s a challenge to the Olympic movement itself to acknowledge what combat sports have evolved into.

Bo Nickal explains why MMA deserves a place on the Olympic stage

When MMA Fighting asked Bo Nickal which sport should be introduced to the Olympics, he did not hesitate. “MMA,” he answered. “Like got to see whose country has the best fighters. One per weight. Maybe spread it out over a week or two.” He wasn’t referring to a bloated lineup with dozens of divisions, but rather a streamlined layout that mirrored the structure he was already familiar with.

When the question shifted to weight classes, the 29-year-old stuck to what he knew. “Well, wrestling, there’s only six,” he pointed out in the interview, and that’s exactly how he believes MMA should approach it if the sport ever makes the jump. For the unaware, Olympic freestyle wrestling has divisions ranging from 57 kg to 125 kg, which are intended to keep the field tight while still representing all body types.

And Nickal’s idea wasn’t coming from fantasy; it was based on how combat sports already run on the world’s biggest stage. In fact, there is also a larger context to what he is asking for. MMA is slowly making its way into big international events, with the Asian Games set to include it officially in 2026.

For someone like Bo Nickal, who spent years in the Olympic wrestling system before moving to the cage, the idea of MMA eventually making it to the Olympics does not seem far-fetched. And if there was ever a time to campaign for it, LA 2028, which already has flag football, cricket, squash, and lacrosse, would be an ideal testing ground.

MMA isn’t on that official list yet, but the UFC fighter’s message was clear: it should be addressed sooner rather than later. And speaking of changes, while the American fighter wants his sport to move ahead and be a part of the world’s grandest stage, he knows it is equally important to win his upcoming fight against Rodolfo Vieira in the biggest MMA promotion in the world. His big plan to rebound from a loss? Make a lot of internal changes.

Bo Nickal goes through mental changes for UFC 322 return

While Bo Nickal advocates for big-picture changes in the sport, he is equally aware that he needs to focus on his own recovery. After his first professional loss at UFC Des Moines against Reinier de Ridder, he said he needed to reset a couple of things mentally. So, what did he do? He simply returned to the basics that shaped him as a kid. The same routine, the same determination, in an attempt to reconnect with the mindset that propelled him through years of wrestling success.

The 29-year-old didn’t shy away from the impact of the loss. “I’ve changed a lot of stuff mentally,” he stated, emphasizing that the time since his defeat has been long but useful. He described it as a stretch of consistent effort rather than a setback, even calling it “really good for me” because it forced him to reflect. With UFC 322 just around the corner, he’s eager to put all of his thoughts into action.

In response to the criticisms he has received so far, the Penn State wrestler dismisses them outright. He just chose to look at it without emotion. “You can take it personally… or you can analyze it and try to be unbiased,” he said. In fact, he admitted that some of it was partially true, but not entirely. Making his stance clear, he added, “I’m going to live my life the way I want to live my life.” No drama, no defensiveness; he will simply focus on what he believes is best for him going into Saturday night.