Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Middleweight super prospect Bo Nickal returned to the win column in violent fashion, detonating a head kick knockout on Rodolfo Vieira during the UFC 322 “Prelims” last night (Sat., Nov. 15, 2025) inside Madison Square Garden (watch highlights).
As Nickal was backstage doing an interview with Sportsnet, the UFC 322 main card had just kicked off — and Benoit Saint Denis immediately starched Beneil Dariush in just 16 seconds (watch it). The brutal finish prompted
Nickal to open up about the darker side of prizefighting.
“I feel bad for Beneil, he’s a good guy, but yeah, it’s a crazy sport,” Nickal said. “That’s honestly to me one of the worst parts about what we do — having to hurt other people, do damage to people. We’re taking years off each other’s lives. It’s sad, but it’s part of it. For me, it’s the strategy, the discipline, the commitment — that’s why I love this sport, and how difficult it is to be the best in the world.”
Nickal continued, “Hurting other people, it really doesn’t … it’s one of the downsides of this sport in my mind. I know people like it, but in my mind it’s not very fun. It’s sad, but it is what we signed up for.”
It’s worth noting that Nickal’s knockout sent Vieira to the hospital for precautionary evaluation.
Nickal isn’t quite entering full Rory MacDonald territory, but his perspective is understandable. Coming from the ultra-competitive world of NCAA wrestling — where victory doesn’t require damage — the brutality of MMA remains an adjustment. And the higher he climbs in the Middleweight ranks, the more destruction he’ll be expected to deliver.
Still, UFC 322 was a massive rebound performance in his first appearance since suffering his first professional loss. Nickal says he hopes to return in early 2026, with eyes on competing at UFC White House in June.
For complete UFC 322 results and play-by-play click here.
