In a twist of ironic timing, Bo Nickal confidently declared himself “a natural striker” just before suffering his first professional defeat at the hands of Reinier de Ridder at UFC Des Moines.
“I’m kind of turning into a striker,” Nickal stated in an interview when asked if he planned to utilize his wrestling background. “I’m developing, getting better. I think that I’m a natural striker.”
Those words now hang awkwardly in the air after the former wrestling phenom was stopped by a devastating knee to the body from de Ridder in the second round of their May 3, 2025, bout. The TKO loss dropped Nickal‘s perfect record to 7-1 and has prompted significant reassessment of his trajectory in the UFC.
The co-main event started with expected grappling exchanges as Nickal attempted to showcase his decorated wrestling credentials. However, de Ridder, a former two-division ONE Championship titleholder, managed to nullify Nickal‘s initial takedown attempt with his superior frame and strength.
After a competitive first round that saw de Ridder gain top position following a failed guillotine attempt by Nickal, the Dutch submission specialist took control in the second frame. De Ridder pushed Nickal against the fence, unleashing a barrage of short strikes to the body before landing the decisive knee that instantly crumpled the American to the canvas at 1:53 of the second round.
“I had to remember I was Dutch,” de Ridder quipped in his post-fight interview, referencing his devastating knee strikes that have drawn comparisons to fellow Dutchman Alistair Overeem‘s feared clinch work. He then boldly called out former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland, stating, “This was the best American wrestler. Let’s do the best American striker.”
The defeat comes as a particularly stark contrast to Nickal‘s previous bold predictions about his UFC future. Just months ago, he confidently proclaimed:
“Might be fighting for the UFC title in two years and be like a minus 800 favorite. Like, I don’t know. That’s odd stuff. It’s crazy.”
When asked if he truly believed he would be that dominant, Nickal replied,
“It’s possible. I mean, I don’t see, in my mind…”
leaving the implication clear that he viewed himself as virtually unbeatable.
Former UFC contender and Strikeforce Lightweight Champion Josh Thomson has since offered insight into Nickal‘s development. On his podcast, Thomson revealed,
“Bo Nickal needs a little bit more work. I talked to a bunch of people at American Top Team, and they were all like, ‘Yeah, he still needs a lot more work.’ He’s doing a great job promoting himself, but he needs a lot of work.”
Thomson, however, remains optimistic about Nickal’s potential: “It’s to be expected, though. I think he’s got a bright career ahead of him, for sure.”
The MMA community has had mixed reactions online, with some harsh assessments declaring Nickal had been “fraud checked” – a term used when a hyped fighter faces their first real test and falls short. Others have taken a more balanced view, pointing out that de Ridder is a legitimate contender with significant experience as a double champion in ONE Championship before joining the UFC.
“He’s not ruined,” read one measured take. “He lost, it happens. Moment to learn and come back better. If anyone knows that it’s a wrestler. He ain’t a fraud, he’s a human competitor and will most likely end up being top ranked in the coming years.”
While the defeat represents a significant setback for Nickal, who had previously expressed interest in fighting top contenders like Khamzat Chimaev, it also provides valuable experience and highlights areas for improvement in his transition from elite wrestler to complete mixed martial artist.
Meanwhile, de Ridder‘s victory marks his third consecutive UFC win, all finishes, and positions him as a rising contender in the middleweight division as he sets his sights on bigger opportunities in the UFC ranks.
