Bo Nickal’s bravado was shattered at UFC Des Moines when he clashed with Reinier de Ridder. Entering the bout undefeated, the three-time NCAA Division I champion was convinced the fight would play out on his terms. But instead of a wrestling clinic, it was de Ridder’s Dutch kickboxing that stole the spotlight. Nickal crumbled in Round 2, suffering the first knockout—and loss—of his MMA career. Still, his spirit remains unshaken. He’s optimistic about the future, though fans believe that confidence may be tipping into delusion.
Going into the battle, Bo Nickal was riding a seven-fight winning streak, with six of those victories coming by way of submission. Nickal was a fan favorite, but reality struck hard. His wrestling was neutralized by the former ONE champion, who dragged the American into a bloody war. The defeat was a harsh blow for American fans, as Nickal had been one of the country’s biggest middleweight prospects. Nevertheless, despite the loss, Nickal appreciated Reinier de Ridder’s skills and thanked him for the fight.
While having a conversation on the ‘Nickal and Dime’ podcast, the 7-1 fighter stated, “I never wanted to be an undefeated UFC champion. I never said that. I’ve probably challenged myself more than I should. There is an easier way to go about this than what I’m doing, but I don’t feel like that’s the way God is leading me, so I’m just leaning into that. The goal isn’t any different. I just want to continue to get better and improve, and I want to find out how good I can be.”
Bo Nickal is confident that his comeback will silence all his critics, but his intense training regimen appears to be taking a toll on him. In the weeks following his loss, Nickal took to Instagram to share a series of photos from a cheerful hunting trip with his friends. The posts revealed that the fighter had been hunting deer in the wilderness. He captioned the post with a subtle message: “I’m always grateful to spend time in nature and make new friends.”
Hunting at a time when he was supposed to reflect on his career decisions didn’t go unnoticed by fans, who took to the comment section to call him out for his irresponsible behavior.
“You got destroyed,” fans call out Bo Nickal for not taking his career seriously
Despite starting his career as a wrestler, Bo Nickal’s defense has been a disaster in his last two fights. In his battle against Paul Craig, Nickal struggled, and in his fight against Reinier de Ridder, his game plan was completely exposed. Looking at this, a fan urged the Penn State Alum to get back in the gym, “Bruh go practice defense and sticking!!!! You don’t have time for anything else!! We need an American Champ!!” Elsewhere, another social media user asserted that he is glad that Nickal was knocked out within two rounds, “So glad you got destroyed.”
At UFC Des Moines, De Ridder made sure he came out on top of Nickal in every aspect of their fight. Despite Nickal’s wrestling credentials, the Dutchman was in complete control throughout the match, securing a victory in the second round. Reacting to the performance, one social media user commented, “Looks like De Ridder turned that nickel into a penny.” However, De Ridder, in a conversation with Damon Martin, himself praised Nickal for his fighting skills and criticized everyone who is challenging his authority, “I’m just happy I got a chance to fight him now and not in three years. In three years, he’s going to be a f—— killer. He’s going to run through everybody.“
Yet, there appears to be no stopping the bashing that Bo Nickal is getting, with one fan saying: “This is why you got K.O’D, your not taking your career seriously.” Last but not the least, a fan expressed that Nickal should be back in the gym by now, contemplating on his loss, “Back in the gym lil bro”.
Bo Nickal has promised a phenomenal comeback to the fighting world—but the real question is, when? What are your thoughts on the buzz surrounding it? Share your opinion in the comments below.
The post Bo Nickal’s Hunting Trip Marred by Past Failure as UFC Fans Hand Harsh Criticism appeared first on EssentiallySports.
