Bo Nickal and Josh Hokit will share a UFC stage on June 14, years after their one-sided NCAA wrestling clash.
Back in 2019, Hokit qualified for the NCAA Championships at 197 pounds as the No. 16 seed, while Nickal entered as the No. 1 seed. Nickal defeated Hokit by pinfall in that tournament bout and went on to secure his third NCAA title that year with three pins.
Reflecting on that senior season matchup, Nickal said, "Josh Hokit was the only guy I wrestled my senior year of college who actually tried to beat me and not just stall," highlighting the competitive edge Hokit brought even in defeat.
Hokit was a two-sport athlete at Fresno State University in wrestling and football before later focusing on football and spending a couple of seasons in the NFL as a practice squad player. Nickal, meanwhile, failed to make the 2020 U.S. Olympic wrestling team after losing to David Taylor, then transitioned to MMA, where he is described as one of the top prospects in the sport.
Now both men are set to compete on the same UFC White House card at UFC 327 on June 14, adding a new chapter to a rivalry that started on the college mats.
