Two former Penn State national champions stole the show at the Pensacola Bay Center Friday night at Island Fights 70. Both Bo Nickal and Musa Alsulaimani were victorious in their fights as the two American Top Team Happy Valley fighters have begun their mixed martial arts careers.

Nickal fought in the main MMA event Friday night against former two-time middleweight SEC wrestling champion Billy Good. He vowed to “Bring the Bo Show,” to Pensacola, Florida, and delivered on his promise. Nickal secured the win in the first round with the first knockout of his career that came from a devastating left-hand connection.

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Coming into the fight, there were several questions regarding Nickal’s striking ability, as he displayed his exceptional wrestling prowess in his debut against David Conley in late September. In this fight, Nickal seemed to make it a point not to take it to the mat and show off his striking and movement.

While it is hard to truly judge his striking ability, since Nickal knocked out Good within the first minute of the fight, his power was on full display. Good was on his heels the entire fight as Nickal continued to push forward relentlessly with his jab until he caught him with the left hand. Nickal dominated the pace of the fight against an experienced fighter in Good, who saw his record fall to 5-4.

Nickal proved Friday night that he is not a one-dimensional fighter. His striking development will be the deciding factor as to how far his MMA career can go, as we already know that he can probably double-leg any UFC fighter in his weight class.

Before Nickal’s fight, another Nittany Lion stepped into the ring to make his amateur MMA debut. Former Penn State boxer and 2019 national champion Musa Alsulaimani faced off against Kyle Davidson in both fighters’ first amateur fight.

Alsulaimani also won in the first round by submission after he set a guillotine choke that forced Davidson to tap out.

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As expected, Alsulaimani boxed well and hobbled Davidson early and often in the match. What came unexpectedly was how he chose to take the fight to the mat to secure the win. Alsulaimani and Nickal train together at American Top Team Happy Valley and congratulated each other in their post-fight interviews. Nickal acknowledged the irony of how both of their fights ended in his ring interview.

“I’m a wrestler who won with a knockout, and he’s a boxer who won with a submission,” said Nickal.

The sky is the limit for these two teammates. Each specializes in one facet of fighting where they have already proven that they are among the greatest in the country. Both said that they will be back in the gym on Monday, and who knows where they could wind up as their career continues.

So not only does Bo know MMA, but Musa does, too.