Dana White revealed at the press conference after UFC 309 on Saturday night that President-elect Trump was surprised by the size difference between Bo Nickal and Paul Craig.
Nickal defeated Craig by unanimous decision at Madison Square Garden in a middleweight bout. Fans in the arena booed Nickal and chanted “overrated” at the former NCAA Division 1 national champion. He improved his professional MMA record to 7-0 and 6-0 since joining White's Contender Series in 2022.
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Bo Nickal, right, lands a punch against Scotland's Paul Craig during a UFC 309 mixed martial arts middleweight fight, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
White was asked about Nickal and relayed the president-elect's thoughts.
“We've had these conversations with Bo,” White said, via Audacy. “You know, Bo needs work. Bo is a promising guy. I know he has big aspirations and wants to move faster than he should. Tonight he showed it… He still dominated him, I mean, he won the whole fight. But he's gotta work to do.
“When you're in a position like Bo, there are a lot of expectations. Did you see the size of Craig? That guy is a fucking monster. The president looked at me and said, 'These guys are in Bo's position.' weight class? Because he loves Bo Nickal, so I was like, 'Yeah, they are.'
President-elect Trump watches as Bo Nickal, on camera, fights Scotsman Paul Craig at UFC 309 at Madison Square Garden, Saturday, November 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
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Nickal, who weighed 185 pounds while Craig weighed 186 pounds, was seen speaking to Trump after he was awarded victory.
It didn't seem like the crowd was very happy with the way Nickal won the fight.
Bo Nickal, right, punches Scotland's Paul Craig in a UFC 309 mixed martial arts middleweight fight, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
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“These guys want to see blood,” he told Joe Rogan after the fight. “They expect me to knock everyone out in 25 seconds or choke them out in a minute and the reality is all these guys are professional fighters who have been training for over a decade. And I've been at this 2 1/2-3 years and I'm excited about that performance.”
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