Three major storylines emerged across the MMA world on Friday, May 22, 2026, with a new matchup for Bo Nickal, tension involving Colby Covington, and another delayed return for Tom Aspinall.
Kyle Daukaus has been selected to fight Bo Nickal in the UFC, setting up a new test for the highly watched prospect. One reaction captured the mood around the booking with the blunt assessment, “Bo Nickal was looking for an easier fight”.
Elsewhere, a separate flashpoint developed between the UFC and retired fighter Colby Covington. The situation was described with phrases like “Disconnect” and “There’s a lot of unhappiness”, underscoring the friction surrounding the former title challenger.
Interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall also remained in the headlines after providing an update on his delayed return to fighting following a “recent scan”. His career has already been slowed by a knee injury, a situation involving Jones, and eye problems.
Outside the Octagon, strength athlete Larry Wheels appeared in a wrestling training clip with Merab, where his conditioning failed after about 20 seconds. In the middleweight division, Christian Leroy Duncan has been matched against Jared Cannonier, a fight framed with implications for Duncan potentially entering the Top 10.
The roundup also referenced “El Cucuy”, adding another familiar MMA name to a busy day of storylines across the UFC landscape.
