What a difference a week can make. After Dana White’s now infamous “Be Joe Pyfer” speech in week one, week two of Dana White’s Contender Series Season 6 saw four finishes, and five fighters awarded UFC contracts.
It was an event many in the aftermath were calling the best Contender Series show ever. Whether that stands the test of time remains to be seen, but with luck, it lit a fire under the fighters on week three’s card. That includes standout wrestler Bo Nickal, who at 1-0 is set to become one of the least experienced Contender Series fighters ever, alongside Greg Hardy and Danyelle Wolf.
Middleweight: Bo Nickal Vs. Zachary Borrego
Tale of the tape
26-years-old
6’1″
State College, Pennsylvania, US
ATT Happy Valley
1-0
1 KO/TKO
Combined opponent’s record: 0-0
25-years-old
6’2″
San Antonio, Texas, US
3-0
2 KO/TKOs
Combined opponents’ record: 5-10
Pros and Cons
Bo Nickal
Pros
- Excellent wrestling
- Heavy hands
- Submission threat
- Good left hand
Cons
- Hands too low/wide
- Throws single kicks
Zachary Borrego
Pros
- Fast starter
- Good output
- Good ground and pound
- Heavy body kicks
Cons
- Loads up
- Hands too low
- Questionable chin
- Lacks head movement
- Sits in the pocket too long
- TDD needs work
Prediction: The attention is on the NCAA Division I wrestler Bo Nickal. No question.
Borrego on the other hand is an accomplished athlete as well. He was a Division II football player and was a silver medallist in the junior Olympics in taekwondo.
Saying that, this fight was obviously set up for Nickal. There isn’t a lot of footage on Nickal’s amateur fights but it’s nice seeing a wrestler knocking guys out. And with that said, Borrego isn’t hard to hit and has been knocked out before. I do see Nickal being able to land that left hand but wrestling is the clear path to victory. No matter how Nickal wins I think it’s important for Nickal to get a development deal and not a UFC contract.
