Bo Nickal, a highly touted MMA prospect and former NCAA wrestling champion, suffered his first career loss to Reinier de Ridder at UFC Des Moines, with his coach attributing the defeat to Nickal’s lack of cage experience despite his athleticism and strong start in the sport.
Bo Nickal faced his first career defeat last weekend against Reinier de Ridder. His head coach pinpointed exactly what went wrong.
Nickal, a three-time NCAA Division I National Champion from Penn State, had an impressive start in MMA. He boasted a perfect 7-0 record, with six finishes. But at UFC Des Moines, de Ridder ended that streak. He dominated on the ground in the first round and delivered a fight-ending body shot in the second.
Mike Brown, Nickal’s coach from American Top Team, discussed the loss. He acknowledged several factors contributed to the unexpected outcome.
“It was a tough weekend but maybe a needed one,” Brown shared on Instagram. Nickal has been fast-tracked, achieving six finishes and seven wins with limited experience. He has all the qualities of a future world champion: athleticism, confidence, family support, and a wrestling background.
However, Nickal lacks live cage time, which is irreplaceable. Experience in the cage is vital. The team knew the risks of facing high-level opponents early, but Nickal is a unique talent, and the UFC has accelerated his path.
Despite being the favorite, Nickal faced a more experienced opponent. De Ridder, a two-division champion in ONE Championship, never relented. He relentlessly pursued Nickal, landing body strikes in the clinch.
The body shots took their toll. De Ridder seized an opening, landing a knee strike that sent Nickal crashing down, ending the fight.
“Bo’s lack of experience showed,” Brown admitted. “His wrestling and athleticism weren’t enough against de Ridder, now 20-2, a multi-time champion in One FC. Props to de Ridder for executing a strong game plan.”
Critics quickly labeled Nickal a “fraud” after the loss. Brown countered, reminding everyone that Nickal is still young in his MMA journey. This setback is a learning opportunity.
Losing isn’t ideal, but Brown knows it’s part of the sport. It offers Nickal a chance to rise again. “This is where we learn and make changes,” Brown said. “I’m confident this will fuel Bo and elevate his focus.”
“To all the critics, remember Bo is just a man in the arena, supporting his family.”