Reinier de Ridder was well aware of Bo Nickal`s formidable wrestling background leading up to their clash, but that didn`t deter him from engaging the three-time NCAA champion in all aspects of their co-main event bout.
Right from the opening bell, de Ridder actively sought the clinch multiple times and even executed a skillful reversal in the first round, gaining top position and attempting submissions. He continued to control Nickal in similar grappling exchanges during the second round until he spotted an opportunity to inflict damage with a series of knees to the body.
Despite Nickal being widely promoted as a future star with exceptional wrestling, de Ridder never hesitated to test his grappling against him, a strategy that clearly paid off.
“He might be a god of wrestling,” de Ridder commented at the post-fight press conference. “But I believe this applies to anything in life, especially in fighting: you should focus on what you excel at. Don`t get sidetracked by what your opponent brings.”
He added with conviction, “It truly doesn`t matter. My jiu-jitsu, my judo, my wrestling are all so strong, I can compete with anyone. Whatever they bring to the table is irrelevant.”
Although he hadn`t reviewed the fight footage yet, de Ridder had a clear sense of how he turned the tide by initially showcasing his grappling before catching Nickal off guard with his striking proficiency.
By the conclusion of the fight, Nickal`s movements appeared labored, which de Ridder attributed directly to the consistent striking punishment he delivered while they were standing.
“It went pretty well, right?” de Ridder remarked regarding his performance. “I landed some solid shots. There was a moment in the clinch where I created some space, shifted his hips with a whizzer, and then hit him with a knee in the first round. In the second, I ended up on top, but I was impressed by his defense from the bottom. It wasn`t easy to immediately control him or posture up because he moved well. I looked for a side choke at one point, but it wasn`t there.”
He continued, “I haven`t really watched the finish, but I think I landed a right hook followed by a left knee as he came in. Every time I hit his body, I felt his hands drop slightly. He seemed to be shifting to his right as if hurt. Seeing he was hurt, I stepped back and then back in. He countered with a 1-2, and I thought, `That`s not smart.` Then I hit him again, I believe to the body, and that finished him off because I felt he was already fading.”
While he`s built a reputation for his suffocating submission game, de Ridder was quick to remind everyone of his Dutch roots—a nation renowned for producing some of combat sports` fiercest strikers.
“I`m still Dutch,” de Ridder stated. “That`s still a part of me, deep down.”
Regarding his next step, de Ridder wasted no time calling out former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland from inside the octagon. With Strickland currently unbooked since his rematch loss in early 2024, de Ridder is eager for the chance to add that high-profile name to his record, even if it means potentially enduring some of Strickland`s infamous verbal jabs.
“I might regret it a little bit,” de Ridder joked about Strickland`s notorious trash talk. “As I said in the cage, I just faced the best American wrestler, now I want to face the best American striker.”
“I like Sean. He`s a funny guy, a real personality. He`s a top-five fighter, right? I think it`s a fascinating stylistic match-up. He has a very effective jab, and I believe my jab is quite good too. I would truly welcome that fight. I really want that fight.”
Wesley Dunham 
Marcus Blakely