Bo Nickal Draws Olympic Gold Medalist Muradov at RAF Moscow

Bo Nickal is heading back to the mat, and RAF isn't handing him a soft touch. The promotion confirmed Tuesday that the UFC's #14 middleweight will wrestle Olympic freestyle champion Shirvani Muradov at RAF Moscow on Sept. 5, the same card topped by former UFC titleholders Khamzat Chimaev and Tyron Woodley.

This is a real step up. Muradov, making his RAF debut, took gold at 96 kilograms — roughly 212 pounds — representing Russia, which puts him in a different weight class of pedigree entirely. For Nickal, a three-time NCAA Division-I champion sitting at 9-1 in his pro MMA career, it's a chance to test his amateur credentials against one of the best freestyle wrestlers on the planet.

A Busy Late Summer

The Muradov booking is actually Nickal's second RAF assignment in a matter of weeks. He's first scheduled to face 2026 NCAA Division-I champion Max McEnelly at RAF 12 on Aug. 22, then turn around and square off with the Olympic gold medalist a couple of weeks later. That's a punishing schedule for a fighter who still has a UFC middleweight run to protect.

Nickal debuted with RAF this past August, beating Jacob Cardenas at the freestyle promotion's first event. A follow-up bout with MMA veteran Yoel Romero was on the table but fell through, so the McEnelly and Muradov dates fill the gap. It keeps Nickal active on the mat without pulling him fully out of the Octagon conversation.

What It Means for His UFC Stock

In MMA, Nickal remains one of the more hyped prospects to come through the wrestling pipeline in years. His UFC record sits at 6-1, and his last appearance was a first-round knockout of Kyle Daukaus at UFC White House — the kind of finish that keeps his 4-KO, 4-submission ledger looking dangerous. Splitting his focus between two sports is a gamble, but Nickal clearly believes his base is worth showing off.

The RAF Moscow card gives the whole thing a marquee frame. Chimaev vs. Woodley headlines, and the show streams live on Fox Nation. If Nickal can hang with an Olympic champion on Russian soil, it's a résumé line no other UFC middleweight can claim right now.