Overview
- Nickal stopped Rodolfo Vieira with a third-round head kick on the UFC 322 featured prelim at Madison Square Garden, rebounding from his May defeat.
- The result lifted Nickal to 8-1 and renewed discussion about his path back toward the middleweight rankings.
- Vieira said on Instagram that he was hospitalized after the bout and joked that his wife was also treated, while Nickal earned a $50,000 performance bonus.
- Daniel Cormier praised the performance as showing world-championship potential, and Jorge Masvidal highlighted the kick work honed at American Top Team.
- No opponent has been announced for Nickal’s next bout, with suggested names including Jared Cannonier, Joe Pyfer and Christian Leroy Duncan, as fellow UFC 322 winner Baisangur Susurkaev called him out.