"I judge myself based on my effort, my performance, how I feel like I did personally," Nickal told reporters including Cageside Press at his post-fight scrum. He expressed pride in his ability to dominate a seasoned opponent like Paul Craig for all 15 minutes of the fight without giving him any significant opportunities, showcasing not just his talent but substantial improvements in his game during that bout.
"I came in open and as I'm winning the striking battle, I'm not really feeling a lot of resistance from him, I'm not feeling any takedown attempts. I had a big advantage on the feet so I kept it there," he explained. Nickal made a tactical decision to engage in striking rather than grappling, which he believed would have been a low-IQ decision given Craig's strengths.
"The crowd definitely didn't see it that way as they let the boos rain down on Nickal following the fight and the announcement of the decision. He didn't see it that way. 'I was pumped dude. 'BO!' like how many times does MSG chant your name for that long. So I'm pumped about it,' Nickal said with a shy smile. The mixed reactions only fueled his enthusiasm for his performance.
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