Bo Nickal reveals warning to Gable Steveson weeks before UFC 331 knockout

Bo Nickal has actually exposed that he cautioned Gable Steveson about weak points in his striking defence simply weeks before the Olympic gold medallist suffered a 12-second knockout defeat to Sean Sharaf at UFC 331.

Steveson, who went into the UFC as an extremely concerned heavyweight possibility following his effective fumbling profession, suffered a significant problem in September. Nickal, himself an embellished college wrestler, has actually now detailed a heated exchange in between the set before the occasion.

Speaking on The Ariel Helwani Showas kept in mind by Bloody ElbowNickal remembered facing Steveson when they appeared on the exact same Real American Freestyle (RAF) card in August, following previous arguments over how a possible fumbling match in between them would unfold. “I’m like, ‘What are you even speaking about, guy? This is ridiculous.’ I remember this so clearly,” Nickal stated. “He’s like, ‘I’ll knock you out’.”

Nickal stated he reacted by informing Steveson that while he was uncertain whether he might beat him in a fumbling match, he thought he would “damage” him in an MMA battle. The UFC middleweight, who holds a 6-1 expert record, likewise declared to have actually highlighted protective shortages that Steveson would require time to address.

Regardless of their dispute, Nickal stated he hopes Steveson can recuperate from his very first significant UFC problem and satisfy his capacity in combined martial arts. “Big obstacles can cause huge resurgences so I hope that he can figure his things out,” Nickal stated. “Again, it’s strange, all the things in between us. I still desire to root for him and desire him to do well.”

Nickal has actually experienced a considerable defeat of his own, having actually suffered his very first expert loss versus Reinier de Ridder in 2025 before going back to winning methods. He likewise questioned whether members of Steveson’s group had actually motivated the heavyweight to reveal remarks about him, in spite of the formerly cordial relationship in between the 2 American wrestlers.