Bo Nickal adds Moscow bout to RAF schedule, set to face Olympic gold medalist Shirvani Muradov

Bo Nickal is set for another high-profile run with RAF, the promotion announced Tuesday with a new booking for the UFC star. After landing a fight slated for Aug. 22 at RAF 12 against Max McEnelly, Nickal will also travel to Moscow for a second bout on Sept. 5, where he is scheduled to face Shirvani Muradov, described by the promotion as an Olympic gold medalist.

The two-event stretch builds on Nickal’s momentum as a recognizable name in the sport who has often been framed as a crossover prospect from elite amateur success. RAF’s planning places him in consecutive weeks of public competition, first in a domestic event setting and then on an international card in Moscow. The quick turnaround suggests the promotion is treating the matchup with Muradov as the headline attraction for the Sept. 5 show.

At RAF 12 on Aug. 22, Nickal will oppose McEnelly, setting up a matchup that RAF is positioning as part of the same late-summer slate. While the announcement confirms the pairing and dates, it does not, in the available reporting, provide additional bout specifics such as the division or fight format. What is clear is that the organization intends to keep Nickal active across two distinct venues rather than spacing his fights out.

Muradov’s pedigree is the central storyline for the Moscow date. RAF’s announcement is explicit that Muradov is an Olympic gold medalist, and that amateur resume is likely to be the measure by which fans and analysts evaluate the stakes of the matchup against Nickal. For Nickal, facing an Olympic champion represents another step in the sport’s recurring “elite wrestler versus top-level striker and grappler” debate, but the exact tactical matchup cannot be fully assessed without more detail on style and weight class.

This booking also matters for RAF’s broader brand. By featuring a star like Nickal alongside a major-amateur accomplished opponent in Moscow, the promotion is indicating it wants credibility across both marquee talent and international stage-setting. For viewers, the combined schedule offers a clear, time-bound sequence: a fight at RAF 12 on Aug. 22, followed by a second appearance on Sept. 5.

What to watch next is confirmation of the remaining event details that were not included in the current reporting, including official locations, weight-class designation, and whether RAF will publish bout-card placement and additional matchups for both events. With two fights already slated, the next headlines will likely focus on opponent build-up, stylistic matchup previews, and how RAF frames the Moscow bout relative to its overall event hierarchy.