Bo Nickal has called on UFC matchmakers to arrange a fight against Colby Covington for the upcoming UFC White House card, highlighting a potential headline bout fueled by both rivalry and history. The two fighters recently exchanged heated words during a press conference ahead of a recent RAF event, with Covington dismissing Nickal’s rise in the pro MMA world.
Rivalry Escalates Through Tense Exchanges
During a discussion with MMAFighting.com, Nickal made it clear that facing Covington, also known as “Chaos,” would be the ideal contest for the White House card. Nickal emphasized the significance of the showdown, especially following the events at the recent RAF event and Covington’s announcement of moving up to middleweight.
“Obviously that’s been the plan for me since after my last fight,”
Nickal stated.
“It would be a great honor to be able to compete on that card. It’s just going to be so historic. Opponent wise, I’m leaving it up to the UFC but I think that the Colby matchup makes so much sense, especially considering the last RAF event, how everything went. Then him declaring he’s going up to middleweight. That’s just something I feel like it’s the fight to make.”
?Bo Nickal, Fighter
Adding further emotional weight to the prospective fight, Nickal described the personal motivation driving him toward a clash with Covington, a contrast to his previous bouts where opponents were simply hurdles rather than personal rivals.
“For me, every single guy I’ve competed against up until this point in MMA, I haven’t really had motivation to beat that person specifically. The opponent was just the opponent. This one is definitely a little more personal obviously with a lot of the comments he’s made. I feel like it would be fun to be able to compete against somebody I actually want to fight. There’s just extra motivation for me, which would make it a lot of fun.”
?Bo Nickal, Fighter
Recent Career Highlights and Setbacks for Both Fighters
Nickal began his professional MMA career undefeated in seven fights, but faced a major setback after a defeat by Reinier de Ridder in May 2025. He regained momentum six months later by delivering a spectacular second-round head kick knockout against Rodolfo Vieira at Madison Square Garden in New York City.
Meanwhile, Colby Covington has experienced difficulties of his own, falling short in his last two fights against Joaquin Buckley and Leon Edwards. Despite those losses, Covington secured a dominant victory over Luke Rockhold in a professional freestyle wrestling match at RAF 5 earlier this year in January.
Potential Impact of the Nickal vs. Covington Fight
The possibility of a fight between Bo Nickal and Colby Covington offers high drama and personal stakes that could energize the UFC’s lineup at the White House event. Their ongoing tension and contrasting fighting paths suggest a contest filled with intensity and added motivation for both men. Fans and analysts alike will watch closely to see if UFC matchmakers act on Nickal’s call soon, as this fight promises to be a defining moment for both careers moving forward.
