Bo Nickal faces NCAA champion Max McEnelly at RAF 12 in August

Bo Nickal will face 2026 NCAA champion Max McEnelly in a wrestling match at RAF 12 on Aug. 22 in Cleveland, promotion officials announced Monday.

The matchup marks Nickal's second appearance for RAF Wrestling after he beat Jacob Cardenas at the promotion's inaugural card in August 2025. That bout was his first competitive wrestling match since failing to qualify for the 2020 Olympic team. A planned showdown with Olympic silver medalist and MMA fighter Yoel Romero fell through when the Cuban missed weight.

McEnelly brings credentials from Minnesota program

McEnelly won four state titles in Minnesota before joining the University of Minnesota, where he earned All-American honors as a redshirt freshman and Big Ten Freshman of the Year. The sophomore claimed his first NCAA championship at 184 pounds in 2026 with a finals victory over Penn State's Rocco Welsh, per MMA Fighting.

Nickal recently knocked out Kyle Daukaus at the UFC's White House event before returning to the mat. The three-time NCAA champion now faces a wrestler coming off his first national title.

RAF 12 also features former UFC welterweight champion Tyron Woodley meeting Joaquin Buckley. The main event has not been announced.

Reported via:

• MMA Fighting — Bo Nickal draws 2026 NCAA champion in his return at RAF 12 in Cleveland