Dricus du Plessis Offers Insight on Bo Nickal’s Loss

UFC contender Dricus du Plessis closely watched the recent reality check delivered to Bo Nickal.

Leading up to UFC Des Moines, Nickal held a flawless 7-0 professional mixed martial arts record, backed by the esteemed background of a three-time NCAA wrestling champion. He was widely favored against the more seasoned Reinier de Ridder. However, it was de Ridder who ultimately triumphed, securing a second-round knockout after damaging Nickal with a knee to the body.

Du Plessis wasn`t surprised by de Ridder handing Nickal his initial loss. He suggested that the sense of satisfaction many felt regarding Nickal`s defeat (often termed schadenfreude) stemmed as much from Nickal`s self-promotion efforts as from his conduct during the fight itself.

Speaking on The Sias du Plessis Show, du Plessis remarked, “Bo has only had perhaps four or five fights in the UFC. You must be cautious with your words in this sport. You earn the right to speak once you`re established. The opponents he faced were relatively unknown. He was criticizing championship bouts, claiming others couldn`t wrestle, dismissing certain victories as unimpressive. A serving of humble pie is quite beneficial for a person… it was satisfying to see because you shouldn`t simply disrespect those who have achieved what you only aspire to. He carried an aura of being an unchallenged champion, someone no one could out-wrestle. He talked extensively about wrestling, wrestling, wrestling. But this isn`t solely wrestling.”

Du Plessis elaborated, “This is fighting. In my sincere opinion, following that knee – which was a solid knee – Bo Nickal effectively gave up. He was mentally broken. That’s why he took a knee. He wasn`t physically dropped by the knee; it connected well, but taking a knee suggests a mental lapse. If knees like that put you down, you’ll face much tougher strikes at the highest level.”

Throughout his ascent in the sport, Nickal spoke confidently about his abilities, even suggesting he could easily handle top contenders like Khamzat Chimaev. Conversely, he showed signs of inexperience in his wins against Paul Craig and Cody Brundage, where his performances were less than perfect.

Du Plessis believes Nickal has now learned that success in this sport encompasses much more than being the world`s best in a single discipline.

“I don`t have an issue with Bo Nickal’s hype,” du Plessis stated. “What bothers me is when he spoke about individuals who have accomplished feats he hasn`t. He`s a three-time NCAA champion, if I recall correctly. Well, my friend, this is not wrestling, and he discovered that the hard way.”

“I think he anticipated walking right through Reinier,” du Plessis commented. “I thought Reinier implemented a brilliant game plan. What I appreciate about Reinier de Ridder is that I believe he presents a significant challenge; I think he is a very high-caliber fighter.”

De Ridder, a former two-division titleholder in ONE Championship, improved his UFC record to 3-0 with the surprising upset victory. Du Plessis expressed strong praise for “The Dutch Knight,” particularly noting his demonstrated superiority in both the grappling and striking aspects of the fight.

Du Plessis recognized Nickal was in trouble when he failed to establish dominance with his wrestling in the initial round.

“De Ridder managed to reverse positions and take Bo down,” du Plessis recounted. “As soon as they returned to standing, Bo Nickal looked exhausted, like a fish out of water. Because normally, his wrestling is the one thing that saves him in every bout, and in this instance, that wasn`t working for him. His takedowns were being stuffed, he was being taken down, and he was facing an opponent with a broader skillset. Nickal`s striking is poor, and while he’s an excellent wrestler, he’s not a top-tier grappler overall.”