Bo Nickal Addresses Scrapped Clash with Yoel Romero
Bo Nickal, the former Nittany Lion, has expressed his frustration with the constant criticism he’s been receiving regarding his scrapped match with Yoel Romero at the Real American Freestyle event on January 10 in Sunrise, Florida. The highly anticipated clash was supposed to be a unified light heavyweight title bout, but it never materialized due to Romero’s failure to make weight.
According to Nickal, he had traveled to Florida with his family and friends, all of whom were excited to see him compete against the wrestling legend. However, when Romero stepped on the scale, he was a whopping seven pounds over the agreed-upon weight limit. Nickal has stated that he was willing to accept a slight weight discrepancy, but seven pounds was too much to overlook.
Nickal’s Decision to Withdraw from the Match
Nickal has explained that his decision to withdraw from the match was not taken lightly. He emphasized that making weight is an essential aspect of wrestling and that he couldn’t compromise on this principle. In an interview with The Ariel Helwani Show, Nickal stated, “It was a tough situation… I got into Florida, had all my family and friends down, a lot of people, and was looking forward to competing. Saturday morning at weigh-ins, I weighed in right at 9 a.m. I woke up around 203, ate and drank to get up to 205, and then waited about 45 minutes for Yoel to get to weigh in.”
Nickal further added, “Once he didn’t step on the scale right away, I kind of knew maybe he was over. I expected two, three, four pounds, and no worries, we’ll get it going. But he stepped on at 212. Seven pounds over. I obviously wanted to compete, but I spoke with my coaches and my team, and we felt it was best to move on because part of wrestling is making weight.”
Criticism and Controversy
Nickal has faced criticism from some fans and pundits for not opting to compete against Romero at a catchweight. However, Nickal has defended his decision, stating that this is a professional sporting event, not a charity match. He emphasized that he came in professional, and Romero did not. Nickal said, “People don’t understand this isn’t all fun and games. This is not a charity match. This is a professional sporting event. I came in professional, and unfortunately, like I said, he didn’t.”
Nickal also suggested that Romero should compete at heavyweight, given his struggles to make the light heavyweight limit. He expressed his willingness to train with Romero but ruled out competing against him in the future, citing the weight issue.
Past Cancellations and Future Prospects
This is not the first time a match between Nickal and Romero has fallen through. The two were initially scheduled to compete at RAF 4 in December, but Nickal withdrew due to undisclosed reasons. Romero went on to compete against Patrick Downey, winning via technical fall.
In conclusion, the cancellation of the Nickal-Romero match has sparked a heated debate among wrestling fans and pundits. While some have criticized Nickal for not competing at a catchweight, others have defended his decision, citing the importance of making weight in professional wrestling. As the situation continues to unfold, one thing is certain – the wrestling world will be keeping a close eye on these two wrestling legends and their future endeavors.
