Following Bo Nickal`s surprising knockout loss at UFC Des Moines, former ONE two-division champion Reinier de Ridder weighed in on the significant criticism directed towards the previously undefeated fighter.
De Ridder delivered a harsh reality check to the previously flawless Bo Nickal during the co-main event at UFC Des Moines. Nickal, who had impressed early in his UFC run, suffered his first defeat, a brutal second-round knockout via a knee to the liver from de Ridder, which concluded the event`s action.
This marked a surprising first professional MMA loss for Nickal, occurring just as he seemed poised to enter the middleweight Top 15 after only a few bouts. The unexpected result at UFC Des Moines saw him facing difficulties against de Ridder`s striking and well-timed wrestling.
Following the initial defeat of his career, Nickal faced widespread criticism in the aftermath of UFC Des Moines. Accusations included ‘quitting’ against de Ridder, with one former lightweight even suggesting UFC CEO Dana White should release Nickal from the promotion.
Reinier de Ridder forecasts ‘killer’ Bo Nickal’s future after UFC Des Moines
Ahead of UFC Des Moines, Nickal was widely regarded as a rare MMA prospect, building on a highly successful collegiate wrestling background at Penn State. Although the immediate hype surrounding him has lessened since the event, de Ridder expressed continued high expectations for Nickal`s future development.
Speaking in a recent interview with MMA Fighting‘s Damon Martin, de Ridder praised Nickal`s potential and commented on the negativity the young fighter received post-fight.
De Ridder stated, “I’m just happy I got a chance to fight him now and not in three years… In three years, he’s going to be a f—— killer. He’s going to run through everybody.”
He also added, “I would really like to work with him. Because of the skill set he brings, it would be awesome to train together. I don’t really know if me being a Kill Cliff guy now and him being [American Top Team] is going to work out, but maybe we can do it low-key and not tell anybody.”
De Ridder also shared his thoughts on any perceived arrogance from Nickal leading up to their bout.
Reflecting on the topic, de Ridder commented, “I’ve been a victim of this in the past, maybe a little bit as well. I’m always confident in my abilities, but I’ve stepped over the line a little bit into arrogance as well… I don’t feel he was that arrogant coming into this fight all, to be honest. He was very humble. From what I’ve seen, he was very down-to-earth coming into this fight.”
Nickal had previously faced significant criticism after his win against Paul Craig at UFC 309 for a perceived sluggish performance. UFC CEO Dana White himself acknowledged after that fight that Nickal ‘needed work,’ citing the former Contender Series participant`s limited MMA experience.
Following the defeat by de Ridder, Nickal might take a break to re-evaluate and enhance his skills. His future in MMA will now be under greater scrutiny as fans and analysts discuss whether he can ultimately fulfill the considerable expectations placed upon him.
Bo Nickal’s coach admits UFC pushed prospect too fast after stunning defeat
Mike Brown, the head coach at American Top Team and Nickal`s corner for his MMA journey, conceded after UFC Des Moines that the UFC`s matchmaking might have advanced Nickal too rapidly through the middleweight division. Despite Nickal having previously spoken about potential future matchups with fighters like Khamzat Chimaev and Dricus du Plessis, Brown feels Nickal still requires significant development to be considered an elite competitor, although he also highlighted his fighter`s inherent potential.
Nickal came into UFC Des Moines with a 4-0 professional record, having secured swift victories over opponents such as Val Woodburn and Jamie Pickett in the Octagon. His professional debut occurred just before he was invited to Dana White`s Contender Series in 2022.
His upcoming fight is arguably the most crucial of his career, and he has a history of overcoming challenges, going back to his time at Penn State. However, for the immediate future, Nickal remains under scrutiny from critics following this initial setback in his MMA path.
Tags: Bo Nickal, Reinier de Ridder, MMA, UFC, UFC Des Moines
Rupert Hartwell