TLDR
- Bo Nickal has called out Colby Covington for a fight at the UFC White House card scheduled for June
- Nickal believes Covington is hesitant to accept because he would dominate him with his wrestling skills
- The two fighters had a heated exchange at the RAF 5 press conference where Covington criticized Nickal’s MMA record
- Covington has hinted at moving from welterweight to middleweight, which would make the matchup possible
- Nickal says getting Covington to agree to the fight is the biggest obstacle to making it happen
Sources: Yardbarker | MMA Fighting | NewsNow
UFC middleweight Bo Nickal has issued a direct challenge to welterweight Colby Covington for the upcoming UFC White House card, but questions remain about whether Covington will accept the fight. The 30-year-old Nickal told MMA Fighting he wants to compete at the historic event scheduled for June and believes a matchup with Covington makes perfect sense.
“I think he knows what I would do to him in a fight,” Nickal said during his interview with MMA Fighting. “That would just not be really the best move for him in some ways.”
The callout comes after Covington hinted at moving up to middleweight, which would put him in Nickal’s weight class. Nickal said he usually doesn’t take matchups personally, but fighting Covington could be different given their recent history.
Does Bo Nickal vs. Colby Covington intrigue you? 🤔 #UFCWhiteHouse https://t.co/uGeeGY2IoB
— bjpenndotcom (@bjpenndotcom) February 4, 2026
Heated Confrontation at RAF 5
Tension between the two fighters erupted in January at the RAF 5 press conference when Nickal first called out Covington for the White House card. Covington rejected the challenge and launched into a harsh criticism of Nickal’s MMA career.
“You’re a bum. You got broken by a Dutch kickboxer,” Covington said at the event. “You’ve done absolutely nothing in the sport of MMA. You quit before the knee hit you.”
Former UFC fighter Luke Rockhold joined Covington in criticizing Nickal during the press conference. Both veterans argued that Nickal has not proven himself in mixed martial arts and still has a long way to go in his career.
The criticism referenced Nickal’s previous loss to Reinier de Ridder and his decision to pull out of a scheduled bout. Covington and Rockhold specifically questioned the legitimacy of Nickal’s MMA record during their exchange.
Personal Stakes and Championship Aspirations
Nickal was once considered one of the most hyped prospects in the UFC and was viewed as potential championship material. After his loss to de Ridder, fans began questioning his abilities, but he has since bounced back with wins.
The 30-year-old believes his wrestling background would give him a clear advantage over the 37-year-old Covington. Nickal suggested that Covington might be hesitant to take the fight because of this skill mismatch.
Covington currently competes at welterweight but has discussed the possibility of moving up to middleweight. This potential weight class change would make a fight with Nickal more feasible from a matchmaking perspective.
Nickal expressed confidence that he would dominate Covington in the octagon if the UFC books the fight. The former NCAA wrestling champion believes his grappling skills would overwhelm Covington despite the welterweight’s own wrestling pedigree.
The UFC White House card represents a historic event for the promotion, adding extra appeal for fighters wanting to be part of the show. Nickal told MMA Fighting he sees competing at the White House as a major opportunity in his career.
According to Nickal, the biggest obstacle to making the fight happen is getting Covington to agree to it. The middleweight contender believes Covington is avoiding the matchup because he understands the outcome would favor Nickal.
