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Kamaru Usman responds to proposal to wrestle Bo Nickal in RAF

Originally posted on HITC | By Filipe Guedes | Last updated Mar 12, 2026 4:03 PM ET

Kamaru Usman, a legend in the welterweight division, might be the next UFC name to step back onto the wrestling mat.

A number of fighters from MMA’s top promotion have already taken part across the first six Real American Freestyle events.

Henry Cejudo beat Urijah Faber at RAF06, a card that also included UFC lightweight Arman Tsarukyan. Others like Bo Nickal, Colby Covington, Benson Henderson and Luke Rockhold have also appeared.

Now, it seems ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ is open to getting involved as well.

Bo Nickal asks Kamaru Usman for RAF wrestling match

Nickal’s return to action was confirmed during the announcement of the UFC White House card last Saturday, and not long after, he joined Usman and Cejudo on the Pound 4 Pound podcast.

With a fight against Kyle Daukaus lined up for June 14 in Washington D.C., the inaugural RAF light heavyweight champion will not be stepping back onto the mats just yet.

But once he does return, Nickal already has someone in mind that he would like to go up against.

“They threw your name out to me. We can make it happen.

“I heard you wanted to get back to your roots.”

“They’ve got some serious funding now. I think that would be great for the fans.”

The ex-UFC welterweight champion was caught off guard by his name being mentioned but did not dismiss the possibility.

“Oh, word?! Okay, maybe it’s a phone call, I need to make a phone call.”

Usman, currently without a UFC booking, seems unlikely to get the first shot at new welterweight champion Islam Makhachev.

The next RAF event will take place on March 28 at the Yuengling Center at the University of South Florida in Tampa.

The main event features Tsarukyan’s rematch with Georgio Poullas, while Covington vs Dillon Danis is set as the co-main event.

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

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