Ahead of their co-main event fight at UFC Des Moines on May 3, 2025, Bo Nickal’s opponent, Reinier de Ridder, offered some interesting comments about the undefeated prospect.
During a recent interview, when asked about Bo Nickal, de Ridder stated, “He’s a good wrestler, good grappler… seems like a decent guy, but people don’t seem to like him too much.”
It’s worth noting that Bo Nickal, a highly decorated former collegiate wrestler with a 7-0 professional MMA record (2 KOs, 4 submissions, 1 decision), has generated a significant amount of hype in his young UFC career. Some fans find his confidence and outspoken nature to be off-putting, while others appreciate his willingness to promote his fights.
Reinier de Ridder, a former two-division champion in ONE Championship and currently ranked in the UFC’s top 15 middleweight division, will be looking to hand Nickal his first professional loss. De Ridder himself is known for his grappling prowess, holding a professional record of 19-2 (10 submissions).
The fight between Nickal and de Ridder is highly anticipated, with many viewing it as a significant step up in competition for the rising star Nickal. Whether the fans’ perception of Nickal plays any role in the fight remains to be seen, but it certainly adds an extra layer of intrigue to this compelling matchup.
