UFC legend Matt Brown believes Bo Nickal still has much to learn, but his recent loss to Reinier de Ridder does not signify that he was an overhyped prospect undeserving of the attention he garnered.
Brown expressed frustration with the commentary surrounding Nickal after his first professional defeat this past Saturday at UFC Des Moines. Nickal was dropped and finished in the second round by a powerful body shot from the significantly more experienced de Ridder. This marked the end of Nickal`s perfect 7-0 start to his career, and he visibly struggled against his seasoned opponent.
Brown stated his irritation about hearing people declare a “fraud check” on Nickal, dismissing the notion entirely.
He insisted on giving credit where it is due, praising de Ridder`s performance as “fantastic.” According to Brown, de Ridder looked exactly like a two-division world champion arriving from ONE Championship should, appearing to have a bright future ahead. Conversely, Bo Nickal looked like someone facing a two-division champion he was simply not ready for yet. Brown views this as the inherent risk of bringing a fighter with minimal experience like Nickal into the UFC and putting them against elite competition. While Nickal had faced mostly winnable matchups previously, the fight with de Ridder clearly revealed where he needs to improve. Brown firmly believes Nickal is not a fraud and predicted he will almost certainly become a top-five fighter in the future.
Brown argues that criticizing Nickal solely for his performance overlooks everything de Ridder did effectively to win the fight.
Although best known for his world-class grappling, de Ridder has put extensive effort into improving his striking. This was evident as he consistently targeted Nickal`s body throughout the bout. That hard work paid off decisively when a knee to the midsection in the second round ended the undefeated run of the three-time NCAA National Champion wrestler in MMA.
Brown asserted that Reinier de Ridder is a genuinely great fighter with a significant experience advantage who understands how to compete at a high level. In contrast, Bo Nickal is still in the process of learning how to fight, even with his exceptional wrestling background. Brown conceded that in a pure wrestling match, Nickal would likely dominate. However, he highlighted de Ridder`s well-rounded skill set and his ability to transition smoothly between different aspects of the fight as the deciding factor. Brown concluded that if anything was “exposed,” it was simply that Nickal “is still a rookie,” a beginner in the sport with considerable development still needed.
It could be argued that Nickal`s own confident predictions about the future, made before he had fully proven himself in the present, contributed to the backlash he faced. Immediately following the loss, past quotes where Nickal discussed beating opponents like Khamzat Chimaev or suggested de Ridder would avoid striking to prevent a knockout resurfaced and were used against him.
However, Brown understands that Nickal was largely responding to the high expectations placed upon him since transitioning from wrestling to MMA. Furthermore, Brown suggested that losing to a high-caliber opponent like de Ridder at this early stage of Nickal`s career might actually be more beneficial for him in the long run than continuing to add wins against less challenging opposition.
Brown reiterated his call to stop the “fraud check nonsense,” dismissing claims that Nickal was exposed, overrated, or that his hype train had ended. He firmly believes that if Nickal remains dedicated, he will return and reach the top five.
He concluded by expressing his strong frustration with this type of commentary, suggesting it`s often driven by a desire for headlines and engagement. Brown maintained that Nickal`s potential is “genuine” and he believes it will be realized if Nickal perseveres. He speculated that this defeat “might be the best thing to happen to him, to be honest,” suggesting Nickal might have become complacent due to the hype, not pushing himself into uncomfortable situations enough. Thus, the loss serves as a potentially valuable reality check.
Wesley Dunham 
Marcus Blakely