Bo Nickal delivered a spectacular response to his critics at UFC 322 in Madison Square Garden, knocking out Rodolfo Vieira with a head kick in the prelims. The emphatic win helped erase doubts that followed the first loss of his MMA career earlier this year.
Eager to maintain momentum, the 29-year-old hopes to return to action quickly — but he admits he may delay his next fight for a major opportunity. Nickal is considering holding off until June 2026 to secure a spot on the planned UFC event at the White House.
“I would love to get back in there quickly,” he said on The Ariel Helwani Show. “Right now, I’m just deciding if I wanna wait till June to get on the White House card or get a fight in between now and then. Some thinking and some prayer to decide what’s best.”
Meanwhile, Jon Jones continues to campaign for his own place on the historic card, but Dana White remains unconvinced. The UFC president says he cannot commit to Jones after past issues with reliability, noting that Jones previously backed out of an agreed fight with Tom Aspinall.
“I haven’t said yes or no to anybody yet,” White said on the Flagrant podcast. “But I can’t put Jon Jones in a position where he can… I had a deal with him to fight Tom Aspinall, and he said, ‘I’m not going to do it.’ I can’t be in that position.”
Nickal now faces a pivotal decision: return to the Octagon soon, or wait for the chance to make history on the White House stage.
