Bo Nickal had established himself as one of the top contenders in the middleweight division and was widely regarded as one of the best wrestlers in MMA. However, his dominant run came to a halt against Reinier de Ridder at the recent UFC Fight Night event. Following the loss, many began to question whether the American fighter is truly the real deal or simply talks a bigger game than he delivers.
De Ridder defeated Bo Nickal by TKO with knees at 1:53 of Round 2 at UFC Des Moines, handing Nickal his first career loss. Despite a strong 7-0 start, Nickal struggled against the more experienced de Ridder. In response to criticism labeling Nickal a “fraud,” MMA veteran Matt Brown came to his defense during a recent episode of The Fighter vs. The Writer on MMA Fighting, and he said,
“Bo Nickal looked like a guy fighting a two-weight world champion he was just not ready for yet. That’s the downside of a guy like Bo Nickal coming into the UFC with very little experience and being tossed to the wolves.”
Matt Brown claps back at UFC fans throwing dirt on Bo Nickal after his first MMA loss. Agree?
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Brown praised de Ridder for looking like a true two-division champion, showing improved striking and dominating Nickal with body shots before finishing him with a knee in Round 2. He believes Nickal is still a future top-five fighter who just wasn’t ready for that level of opponent yet.
Dillon Danis Criticizes Bo Nickal After First Loss
Danis wasted no time mocking Bo Nickal after his first professional loss to Reinier de Ridder. Known for his trolling, Danis took to social media to call Nickal overrated, claiming he “melted under pressure.”
Despite Nickal’s impressive wrestling background, his undefeated streak ended with a TKO loss, where he visibly struggled against de Ridder’s body shots. Danis capitalized on the situation, stating,
“One of the best American wrestlers of all time, Bo Nickal, ended up on his knees in the fetal position, gave up from body shots and didn’t even go out fighting on his shield. When I say these guys aren’t on my level, I’m never wrong.”
Nickal’s first loss and Dillon Danis’ harsh jab mark a turning point in his career. Once seen as a future star, he now faces growing doubts as the hype cools and the MMA world watches.
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