When you’re one of the biggest wrestling stars in the country, it’s only natural for people to expect action-packed fights from you in the UFC. However, if you fail to deliver, you should be prepared to face the wrath of the fans — and that’s exactly what’s been happening with former NCAA Division-I wrestling national champion, Bo Nickal. Despite winning all of his battles, the Nittany Lion has been marred by boring fight accusations by the fans. His last clash against Paul Craig was a test of his wrestling, and he failed, not only by neglecting to use his wrestling but also by failing to secure any takedowns. However, despite these, Dana White believes in his wrestling star as he has given him another chance to prove himself.
According to data released by prominent MMA broadcaster and reporter, Aaron Bronsteter, the UFC has officially confirmed that Cordy Sandhagen will be headlining the UFC Des Moines, Iowa against Deiveson Figueiredo on May 3 and Bo Nikal Vs. Reiner de Ridder will be the co-main fight of the night. Dana White is really gambling huge here as there’s a palpable skepticism about Nickal within the hearts of the MMA community specifically due to his past performances.
Despite being one of the top wrestlers in the world, Bo Nickal’s performance against Paul Craig at UFC 309 was underwhelming. While his exceptional wrestling sets him apart, Nickal opted for a striking-heavy approach in that fight, resulting in a lackluster victory. This caused the fans to bring down hellfire on Nickal. The NCAA Division-I wrestler had to face the ire of the entire MMA fanbase who even called out to Dana White to cut him from the roster.
The UFC have officially announced that Cory Sandhagen vs. Deiveson Figueiredo will headline their Fight Night card in Des Moines, Iowa on May 3. Bo Nickal vs. Reinier de Ridder will serve as the co-main event.
Other announced bouts so far, which include Serhiy Sidey and… pic.twitter.com/VysdP5nZzo
— Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) March 18, 2025
Responding to these trolls, Bo Nickal called out to them and challenged them to face him head-on, “I fought the best and smartest fight of my career and nobody’s gonna change my mind on that,” Nickal said. “So, if anybody has a problem with it, come over to freaking ATT in Pleasant Gap and scrap up. If you have a problem with it, then you can see what it feels like to get punched in the face. So, otherwise, shut up.”
With a career record of 7 victories and 0 losses, Bo Nickal is arguably one of the best in the division, however, now he will be facing one of the best grapplers in the entire combat sports world. Is he ready? Well, ready or not, Daniel Cormier has come forward to show him his victory path.
Daniel Cormier has a word of advice for Bo Nickal ahead of his Reiner de Ridder fight
With a career record of 19 victories and only 2 defeats, the former two-division ONE champion is prepping to face Bo Nickal very soon. In his last two battles, ‘The Dutch Knight’ has already showcased why he should be feared within the UFC. As the fight looms over Nickal’s head like a guillotine, Daniel Cormier comes forward to point out what is needed to be done by Nickal to win the fight.
While having a conversation with Chael Sonnen on Good Guy/Bad Guy, Cormier emphasized, “He needs to take him down early because you don’t want to end up like Ankalaev. Ankalaev was trying to take Pereira down, but he just couldn’t. You don’t want that. The one thing about a young fighter, a young wrestler, is Chael. Do you remember the first time you shot on somebody thinking you would take them down, and they defended? You’re like, “Oh my God, what happens now? What happens now? The first time somebody defends a takedown it’s very very scary”
Bo Nickal understands what’s at stake for him, and if he doesn’t perform on the grand stage, he’ll have to face the trolls once again. Given that, what are your thoughts on his next fight? State your opinion in the comments below.
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