Bo Nickal is unaccustomed to defeat in his athletic career, but historically, he has consistently shown the ability to rebound and improve after experiencing a loss.
This sentiment is effectively the message the three-time NCAA wrestling champion conveyed after speaking publicly for the first time since his disappointing outcome in the co-main event against Reinier de Ridder at UFC Des Moines. The highly regarded prospect was handed his first professional loss via second-round knockout, following a brutal knee strike to the body delivered by de Ridder that ended the contest.
While certainly not the result he was striving for, Nickal made a firm promise that he would bounce back and return stronger for his next fight.
“Grateful for the highs and lows,” Nickal posted on Instagram. “I’ll be back.”
Immediately after the fight concluded on Saturday night, American Top Team—the gym where Nickal trains—also released a concise statement on social media, echoing a similar perspective on the outcome.
“Less than four years in the sport, and already on the biggest stage. Setbacks are part of the journey. Learn, grow, and come back stronger. Bo Nickal will be back.”
Before this recent loss to de Ridder, Nickal had been nearly flawless in his mixed martial arts career, holding a perfect 7-0 record with six of those victories coming by way of knockout or submission.
He had not even gone the distance in a professional fight until his previous outing against veteran fighter Paul Craig, but his streak of good fortune was halted abruptly by de Ridder.
The former two-division ONE Championship titleholder proved challenging for Nickal in the clinch and even managed to secure top control on the ground after a grappling exchange saw de Ridder end up in the dominant position.
However, despite the significant attention paid to Nickal’s wrestling prowess and de Ridder’s acclaimed jiu-jitsu skills, the crucial difference in the fight ultimately came down to striking.
As Nickal appeared somewhat fatigued in his movement, de Ridder began to concentrate his attack on the body, landing a series of impactful knee strikes. After Nickal attempted a poorly timed boxing combination, de Ridder countered instantly with a sharp knee directly to the midsection, causing the 29-year-old middleweight to collapse to the canvas.
This defeat lowers Nickal’s professional record to 7-1, but it is evident that he is already focused on learning from this experience with the clear goal of achieving a better result in his next appearance.
Wesley Dunham