Reinier de Ridder pulled off a stunner at UFC on ESPN 67 with a second-round TKO of Bo Nickal at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa. Check out the top social media reactions to de Ridder (19-2 MMA, 3-0 UFC) beating Nickal (7-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) below. SearchVideo is not available in your country Reinier de Ridder claims a second round TKO with a big knee to give Bo Nickal his first career UFC loss Athletes make their mark at the 2025 Met Gala Long-shot Islanders win 2025 NHL draft lottery Why is Michigan's Sherrone Moore being suspended now would be proud if Knicks push Celtics to 6 games Middleweight Reinier de Ridder Speaks With UFC.com After His TKO victory over Bo Nickal At UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs Figueiredo On May 3 The Dutch star viciously stopped wrestling legend Bo Nickal in the co-main event of UFC Des Moines, before naming Strickland as his next planned victim it was the phrasing that De Ridder used that seemed to make fans laugh The former ONE Championship double champion gave an assured and hilarious post-fight interview to Michael Bisping he claimed that Strickland was America’s ‘best striker’ and called for the fight after landing a major scalp of Nickal Following his victory on Saturday night, Reinier De Ridder was quick to call his shot on the microphone in front of a raucous Iowa crowd he noted that he had defeated America’s top wrestler meaning that he needed to now take on the best striker the nation had to offer “I tried them knees and they’re still working,” he joked with Bisping “I was a bit surprised because I noticed during the fight that he was fading a little bit and I thought that it was the knees so I said I should throw the knee and the hook try to get him again and then he was kind of out of there already “I wanted to say this is the best American wrestler you have That description of Strickland tickled a few UFC fans who would rank him far from the top spot in terms of pure striking from an American “If Strickland is the best striker U.S has to give we got problems.” The fight itself between De Ridder and Nickal was an interesting affair as the wrestling star was trepidatious about grappling with a renowned BJJ expert before he eventually did get the Dutchman down and even looked for a submission after some ground and pound he couldn’t get that finish and ended up being reversed and ending the round back on his feet De Ridder did a solid job of working his Thai boxing which eventually got him in position to land big knees With Nickal continuing to put himself against the cage De Ridder attempted to land a knee up the middle the Dutchman landed another knee up the middle this time landing flush to the body of Nickal sinking him to the ground and finishing the fight This is the live blog for Reinier de Ridder vs. Bo Nickal, the middleweight co-main event for UFC Des Moines at the Wells Fargo Arena Penn State wrestling legend and three-time NCAA national champion Bo Nickal was defeated for the first time in his UFC career to an accomplished grappler and deceptive striker in Reinier de Ridder by way of technical knockout Nickal saw his first action of the year at UFC Fight Night on Saturday The Nittany Lion was coming off the heels of a unanimous decision victory over Paul Craig at UFC 309 back in November The Netherlands fighter was 19-2 and the No 13 ranked middleweight fighter in the UFC coming into Saturday night both fighters stood in the center of the octagon The Nittany Lion missed with an early haymaker getting caught in de Ridder’s clinch The two broke apart before another clinch was initiated by the dutchman Bo” chants rang through the arena as Nickal got a takedown De Ridder reversed Nickal’s top position after a submission attempt by the Nittany Lion Nickal got back to his knees and exploded out of the clinch taking the fight back to standing position before the end of the first round It was a competitive first round that showcased the two grapplers’ skills in ground positions Nickal backed de Ridder up against the cage The two maintained the position throughout the octagon with multiple knees thrown by the Dutch fighter Nickal appeared to be hurt after the mid-section onslaught from de Ridder Nickal suffered one last knee to the liver which collapsed the Nittany Lion to the canvas De Ridder celebrated at the center of the octagon after snapping Nickal’s undefeated MMA record with a technical knockout Nickal did not receive a post-fight interview and therefore did not make any statement about what the next step will be in his career “What’s funny to me is that after spending so much time telling other people’s stories I conclude my time here by writing about my own.” Jacob Francis and Jayson Archer are each accused of leading violent hazing rituals against new members The rock band debuted its unreleased single “Easy Come Easy Go,” along with crowd favorites like “Gives You Hell” and “Dirty Little Secret.” Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Penn State’s Blue-White Game was not televised In addition to the bantamweight headliner and Nickal’s rotten egg UFC Des Moines produced a laundry list of memorable performances and impressive finishes Check out some of the key moments below and let us know which ones stood out the most: To sift through the action and see which fighters took home an extra $50,000 we take a closer look at the official UFC Des Moines post-fight bonus winners below: For complete UFC Des Moines results, coverage, and highlights click HERE .css-1xiyrl{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;justify-content:center;aspect-ratio:unset;}With the win, de Ridder improves his professional record to 20-2, while Nickal falls to 7-1. landing 87.5 percent of his total strikes and 68.8 percent of his significant strikes far outpacing Nickal’s 60 percent total strikes and 38.1 percent significant strike accuracy The win marks de Ridder’s fourth career TKO who joined the main UFC roster via Dana White’s Contender Series in 2023 had built an impressive resume with major wins—most recently defeating veteran Paul Craig by unanimous decision in November 2024 Though this marks the first setback of his career Nickal still holds two wins by TKO and four by submission Keen to move up the middlewieght division was surprised that Nickal accepted the fight on such short notice De Ridder shared his desire to ascend the middleweight division and disclosed that he was on the verge of agreeing to a quick-turnaround fight before the opportunity to face Nickal came his way “So I was supposed to maybe even fight a week later because I didn't really expect that one Our grappling style clash will be very cool And he's maybe not a top five talent yet picks and odds for UFC Des Moines on Saturday Super prospect Bo Nickal is making his return to competition after six months off facing the toughest opponent of his career Nickal was relatively unimpressive in his UFC 309 decision win over Paul Craig and will have to show continued improvement to get through former two-division ONE FC champion Reinier de Ridder this time around RDR is now 2-0 in the UFC since joining the promotion and would immediately be in the title picture with a win over Nickal What makes this matchup both intriguing and potentially boring is that in some ways it's a similar matchup for Nickal than Paul Craig de Ridder is a dangerous submission artist who poses a stylistic challenge for the three time NCAA national champion Nickal's solution to that problem against Paul Craig was to turn the fight into a lackluster striking match while Nickal and his team decided to avoid the potential danger posed by grappling with Craig It's easy to see how they'd arrive at a similar conclusion against de Ridder de Ridder is a black belt in both Judo and BJJ with 14 submissions in his 19 professional wins Both of his UFC victories have been submissions despite being matched with a pair of BJJ black belts in Kevin Holland and Gerald Meerschaert de Ridder landed a takedown within five seconds and the fight never returned to the feet but there's plenty of ways this could end up on the ground de Ridder's judo background have him a variety of takedowns unlike what Nickal is used to seeing particularly in the clinch if Nickal attempts to trap de Ridder along the fence I'm not especially confident de Ridder could find a submission from his back against the bigger and more athletic Nickal but it's not out of the range of possibility de Ridder could also work his way to a better position while Nickal attempts to ground and pound the more important factor is what happens before this fight hits the mat If Nickal is able to control the action as easily as he did against Craig he'll likely choose to keep things standing Unless he's made considerable strides in the six months since fighting Craig de Ridder is not a great striker by any stretch Nickal's focus against Craig was on staying safe and avoiding the occasional kill shot thrown by the Scotsman with solid fundamentals but mostly single shots he tends to lunge forward and leave himself open to counters On the other hand, de Ridder is a rangy southpaw who is more willing to take chances. He uses both his jab and push kicks well, with the idea that he'll then counter with heavier shots if his opponent tries to lunge inside of his long strikes. He's also very hittable, but  capable of doing damage of his own. de Ridder was clipped a few times against Meerschaert, but ultimately survived and dropped the veteran at the end of the first round. If Nickal doesn't open up more with his striking, he's at risk of dropping rounds based on activity if nothing else, which could make this fight much closer than the betting line would imply. Nickal PredictionWith a betting line this wide I'm not necessarily trying to handicap who I think is more likely to win who has all of the physical tools to be a potential champion someday my focus is on identifying whether the underdog has a potential path to victory He's arguably the better pure striker though it's hard to divorce both fighter's striking from the constant grappling threat they pose forcing Nickal to use his wrestling is also a path to victory for the Dutch Knight The odds on Friday have moved to make de Ridder a +300 underdog I'm waiting as long as possible before making the bet The name recognition for Nickal has already pushed de Ridder's line about 50 cents since Monday, and I suspect that line movement will continue as the fight approaches. Nickal will anchor plenty of moneyline parlays this weekend, and books will adjust the price accordingly. Billy's Pick: Reinier de Ridder +300 (But Wait For Fight Night) This site .css-115lfch{color:var(--tan-text-link);}contains commercial content. We may be compensated for the links provided on this page. The content on this page is for informational purposes only. Action Network makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the information given or the outcome of any game or event. Copyright 2025 © Action Network Inc, All Rights Reserved.Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | AdChoices DISCLAIMER: This site is 100% for entertainment purposes only and does not involve real money betting This site contains commercial content. Disclosure Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-Gambler Dutch middleweight Reinier de Ridder is only two fights into his UFC career and hopes a big win over undefeated prospect Bo Nickal at UFC Des Moines will set him up for even bigger things later this year De Ridder captured championships in Asian organization ONE Championship at 225 and 205 pounds but is now making waves in the UFC’s 185-pound class It’s a move that has already paid dividends with back-to-back submission victories over Gerald Meerschaert and Kevin Holland getting his UFC career off to a flying start and sending him into Saturday’s co-main event bout with Nickal already ranked 13th in the division Order UFC 315: Muhammad vs Della Maddalena “The fights went pretty well, right?” he smiled as he chatted with UFC.com ahead of fight night in Des Moines I really have to work to stay a little closer to my weight Maybe after we can talk about another weight WATCH: Reinier de Ridder Fight Week Interview De Ridder is keen to move his way up the middleweight division and revealed that he was close to accepting a quick-turnaround fight before he was eventually offered a bout with Nickal UFC Des Moines Free Fights: Figueiredo vs Garbrandt | Sandhagen vs Moraes Nickal doesn’t have the MMA experience de Ridder possesses but the Dutchman has been impressed with what he’s seen from the former Penn State standout in his MMA career so far “He’s knocked it out the park every time,” he said “The Paul Craig fight wasn't that exciting FOLLOW @UFCNEWS: On Facebook | On Instagram | On X | On Threads The UFC middleweight division has traditionally been dominated by strikers but the rise of a new breed of fighters who are equally capable of finishing fights on the ground offers encouragement for de Ridder the big one now is Khamzat [Chimaev] versus Dricus [Du Plessis] A bit of a grappler versus striker matchup and there's a few guys underneath there that are pretty good everywhere,” he explained.  “Caio [Borralho] is pretty good at striking and grappling [Nassourdine] Imavov is a good striker and a good grappler de Ridder said he’d actually love to test himself against two of the division’s top strikers as he revealed that matchups with a pair of former 185-pound champions are on his 2025 wishlist View de Ridder's Athlete Profile I got a couple of dream fights up there,” he grinned One of those would be great as the next fight.” Before he can call for fights against former champions de Ridder needs to continue boosting his own stock in the crowded UFC middleweight division starting with a victory over Nickal on Saturday night Nickal’s wrestling credentials are well documented but de Ridder said he’s been impressed with how the American has worked on rounding out his skill set The latest example of that came in Nickal’s unanimous decision victory over Paul Craig at UFC 309 where he opted to stand and strike from distance as he kept well clear of the Scottish submission specialist’s dangerous ground game That performance might offer a glimpse into how Nickal could approach things against another grappler in de Ridder but the Dutchman isn’t convinced that we’ll see a repeat of that showing this weekend I think it's up to me in this one,” he said “It seems like he was pretty content with this last performance “You saw he was winning in the striking department – he was outstriking him every round This fight will look nothing like that last fight of his.” De Ridder sees his path to victory coming via his grappling but said that his mat skills alone won’t be enough to win it He’ll need to make his mark with his strikes first “I need to put the pressure on him,” he stated “I’ve been working on a lot of different chokes but what I see is me hurting him a couple times but while the breakdown of his approach reflects his confidence in his abilities it’s also an indication that he’s relaxed and and content with where he is at this stage of his career “The activity is so nice to be fighting a couple times a year I really found a home at [his gym] Kill Cliff in Florida Reflecting On The Outstanding Performances From Inside The Octagon Over The Previous Month Jeremy Stephens Gets A Homecoming Bout In His Return To The Octagon There is an unknown connection issue between Cloudflare and the origin web server There is an issue between Cloudflare's cache and your origin web server. 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Additional troubleshooting resources After he delivered a left strike that staggered Bo Nickal backwards UFC middleweight Reinier de Ridder (20-2) surged forward with a left knee to his opponent’s abdomen Nickal (7-1) collapsed near the cage before the referee called the fight in round two in favor of the Netherlands-born fighter de Ridder stood upward then blew kisses to a few upset fans in the crowd before he formed a heart-shaped motion to cap off his post-fight celebration at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines on May 3 a four-time Penn State wrestling All-American the first loss of his mixed martial arts career He did it with a collection of body shots throughout the fight “I felt like every time I hit him to the body I felt him dropping his hands a little bit I felt him moving to his right like he was hurt a little bit,” de Ridder said I stepped back in; he hit me with a one-two (punch) 'that’s not smart' and then I hit him again to the body and I got him out of there and I felt he was on his way out already.” de Ridder’s walkout carried a roar of boos more than his octagon counterpart like a soldier entering enemy territory the TKO finish unleashed a high-pitched roar of applause It was de Ridder’s third-straight win in the UFC over the last six months bruises and a noticeable grin as he took his seat inside the media interview room in the depths of Wells Fargo Arena  “It wasn’t too bad right?” de Ridder said with a smirk post-fight The result offered a bit of jubilation and a victory over a rising prospect in Nickal the win was a stepping stone to a bigger opportunity against a top-ten fighter in the middleweight division He called for a fight against former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland Let’s do the best American striker,” de Ridder said he’s a real character … and I think he’s an interesting matchup style-wise He has a very good jab; I don’t think my jab is too bad he'd fight the following week if it meant that he'd climb the middleweight division at a faster rate he's enjoying the fruits of his labor focused on a higher-stakes showdown Marc Ray is the high school sports reporter for the Iowa City Press-Citizen. He can be reached at MARay@gannett.com, and on X, formerly Twitter, at @themarcszn Reinier de Ridder violently put an end to Bo Nickal's undefeated run It was an interesting clash of styles coming into the fight as de Ridder (20-2 MMA 3-0 UFC) can certainly hold his own in the grappling department against a talented wrestler in Nickal (7-1 MMA striking would prove to be the difference maker The middleweight fight served as the UFC on ESPN 67 co-main event which took place at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines De Ridder left Nickal on the canvas after a brutal step-in knee at 1:12 of Round 2 The 185-pounders didn't waste much time before trading hard punches Nickal then got to the clinch and began working for a takedown but had to settle for a nice elbow on the exit De Ridder came right back in with a takedown attempt of his own de Ridder dug in some nice knees to the body before Nickal eventually got the fight to the ground and ended up on the bottom after a nice reversal de Ridder looked to isolate an arm for a submission but Nickal did well to protect himself before scrambling to his feet de Ridder quickly pressured Nickal with strikes but de Ridder found home for a couple of big knees and clean punches in close Nickal attempted to fire back with a left hand but de Ridder stepped in with a big left knee to the body causing Nickal to fold over for the stoppage while handing Nickal his first professional loss the former ONE champ de Ridder turned his attention to a former UFC champion right?" de Ridder asked during his post-fight interview with Michael Bisping That's three fights and three finishes for de Ridder in the UFC He stopped Gerald Meerschaert in the third round of his debut followed by a first-round finish of Kevin Holland Nickal entered the fight with a 7-0 record and coming off a decision win over Paul Craig in his last outing It was the first time Nickal had gone the distance in a fight The three-time NCAA Division I wrestling national champion planned to keep his unbeaten record intact and pick up another octagon win De Ridder made the walk to the octagon riding a three-fight winning streak. He last fought in January, submitting Kevin Holland via rear-naked choke in the first round He was looking to extend his winning streak and stop the Nickal hype train.  Nickal quickly clinched and connected with an elbow on the break They clinched again and Nickal delivered knees to the legs of de Ridder De Ridder responded with right hands to the body Nickal secured a takedown midway though the round De Ridder scrambled and Nickal applied a guillotine choke De Ridder popped his head out and gained top position De Ridder pulled him back to the ground but Nickal got back to his feet and separated MMAWeekly scored the round 10-9 for Nickal.  The time of the stoppage was 1:53 of the second round. By MMAWeekly Editor – I started working at MMAWeekly.com in 2002 and have covered mixed martial arts for 23 years.  de Ridder actually initiated the clinch several times and even scored a slick reversal in the first round where he ended up on top of Nickal looking for submissions He continuously trapped Nickal in similar positions in the second round until de Ridder saw an opening to really start punishing the body with a series of knees For all the ways Nickal was touted as a future champion with arguably the best wrestling in the sport de Ridder never feared testing that part of his game in their fight and it obviously paid off “He is maybe [a god of wrestling] but I think this goes for anything in life what you do well,” de Ridder said at the UFC Des Moines post-fight press conference “Don’t be distracted by what anybody else brings to the table While he hasn’t watched the fight back yet de Ridder had a pretty good idea how he turned the tables by first showing off his grappling skills but then surprising Nickal with his striking acumen Nickal was already looking labored in his movement and that speaks directly to the continued punishment that de Ridder was dishing out on the feet right?” de Ridder said about his performance get his hips away a little bit with the whizzer then I got him with the knee in the first round I ended up on top but I was surprised with how well he did on bottom I wasn’t able to posture right away because he moved pretty well I was looking for the side choke at a moment but it wasn’t there “I haven’t really seen the finishing sequence but I think I threw the right hook hit him coming in and every time I hit him to the body I felt him moving to his right like he was hurt a little bit he hit me with a 1-2 and I was like that’s not smart and then I got him out of there because I felt like he was on his way out already.” While he’s earned his reputation in the sport for his suffocating submission skills de Ridder is quick to point out that he comes from the Netherlands — a country famous for producing some of the nastiest strikers in the history of combat sports As far as what comes next, de Ridder called his shot from the octagon when he asked for a fight against former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland, who hasn’t made an appearance since losing a rematch to Dricus du Plessis in early 2024 Without an opponent or a date for his return booked Strickland is totally available and de Ridder loves the idea of adding that name to his resume even if it means absorbing a little bit of verbal abuse along the way “I think I might be regretting it in a little bit,” de Ridder joked about Strickland’s notorious trash talk towards his opponents I think it’s an interesting matchup style wise The co-main event at UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs Figueiredo brings fans a fascinating middleweight clash worth watching continues his much-hyped UFC journey against his biggest challenge yet Reinier de Ridder represents a significant step up in competition for the undefeated prospect The former ONE Championship double-champion brings an impressive 19-2 record to the octagon Both southpaws bring elite grappling credentials to this contest Their similar backgrounds create an intriguing chess match that has fight fans buzzing Will Nickal’s collegiate wrestling pedigree prevail Or will de Ridder’s judo and Brazilian jiu-jitsu expertise prove too much Also Read: Cinco de Mayo Weekend Boxing Fest 2025: Is This the Greatest Boxing Card of the Year? The oddsmakers clearly favor Nickal in this matchup. According to BetMGM That means fans would need to risk $375 just to win $100 on the American wrestler offering a potential $300 return on a $100 bet These odds reflect the market’s confidence in Nickal’s potential rather than his actual UFC accomplishments His wrestling credentials and undefeated record create a perception of dominance that might exceed his current MMA development Nickal’s last performance against Paul Craig left some fans wanting more from the prospect Nickal abandoned his wrestling roots and kept the fight standing This cautious approach surprised many who expected the dynamic takedowns that made him famous de Ridder has looked impressive in his UFC run so far with submission victories over Kevin Holland and Gerald Meerschaert he landed a takedown within five seconds and never let his opponent back up His judo throws and submission savvy have translated well to the UFC cage His height and reach advantages could also play factors in this matchup de Ridder stands three inches taller than Nickal with two extra inches of reach we must consider each fighter’s path to victory He should use his wrestling to control positions while avoiding submission attempts his reluctance to engage in grappling exchanges with submission specialists raises questions Will Nickal try to keep this fight standing as he did against Craig That approach might backfire against de Ridder who actually holds advantages in reach and technical striking De Ridder uses his jab and push kicks effectively to maintain distance before countering we are going against the grain and predicting Reinier De Ridder to win by unanimous decision I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans Get the biggest stories delivered straight to you - for free you consent to our Privacy Policy and Cookie Policy nad to receive marketing and account-related emails from The Playoffs The Playoffs has been a go-to source for sports and sports betting enthusiasts Our mission: To help bettors make the best choices with in-depth analysis Our motto: Share our passion for sports and betting our editorial teams work to deliver the most accurate and relevant information so you can place bets with confidence—and most importantly and understand that betting is a form of entertainment—not a way to earn money If gambling stops being enjoyable or starts affecting your life negatively don’t hesitate to seek support or take advantage of self-exclusion tools provided by betting platforms responsible betting is the key to a safe and enjoyable gaming experience COPYRIGHT © 2025 - THE PLAYOFFS - SHARE THE PASSION FOR SPORTS AND BETTING *** HIGHLIGHTS! Watch de Ridder Derail Nickal With Liver Kill Shot!!! *** Bo Nickal vs. Reinier de Ridder squared off in a Middleweight contest earlier tonight (Sat., May 3, 2025) at UFC Des Moines from Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines de Ridder stopped his opponent with a knee to the liver firing punches and trying to time a big knee It didn’t take long for Nickal to wrap up a clinch where the duo traded takedown attempts and body punches “RDR” was the more active and effective clinch striker in the first half of the round but Nickal grounded him with an ankle pick When de Ridder tried to scramble to his feet Nickal jumped on a guillotine but ended up on his back Nickal actually did well to avoid submissions and major damage escaping to his feet with just a few seconds remaining in the first it was the first lost round of Nickal’s young MMA career “The Dutch Knight” continued to press hard into the second landing a few shots before the duo landed back in the clinch De Ridder continued to land solid knees to the body which seemed to be taking an effect on Nickal’s gas tank Nickal was looking downright uncomfortable on his feet He fired back a couple shots in desperation but de Ridder surged forward with a massive knee to the stomach that crumpled Nickal along the fence De Ridder came into this fight with a dedicated game plan of beating the crap out of Nickal in the clinch spending far more of their shared clinch time landing chipping shots that broke down the wrestler De Ridder has really leveled up since his UFC debut and this is clearly the most signature win of his career he still has all the credentials in the world but the young standout has a lot left to learn about cage fighting He should probably wait on that Khamzat callout For complete UFC Des Moines results and play-by-play, click here Reinier de Ridder will look to end the undefeated run of Bo Nickal and he’s got plenty of people backing him ahead of fight night In Saturday night’s co-main event in Des Moines ‘The Dutch Knight’ will step back inside the Octagon for the third time since debuting with the promotion last November De Ridder has showcased his submission skills both before and after he signed to the UFC but his next test will see him take on a decorated wrestler who is also yet to taste defeat in the promotion’s 185-pound division Though Nickal has some impressive finishes under his belt the 29-year-old has been a divisive figure ever since his debut in March of 2023 His underwhelming fight with Paul Craig at UFC 309 didn’t help matters and it now seems that a lot of fight fans are pulling for de Ridder in this big middleweight matchup In a recent interview with MMA Junkie, Reinier de Ridder was asked whether he has received a lot of messages ahead of May 3 from fans who want to see him beat Bo Nickal The three-time NCAA Division I national champion would undoubtedly be the target of some sporting rivalry amongst the Iowa fans as a former Pennsylvania State University representative de Ridder explained that many of the messages are from much further afield as he was surprised to see how many people are hoping that he can put the American away in Des Moines His UFC career is off to a blazing start 🔥Reinier de Ridder is coming for his third straight submission victory at #UFCDesMoines! pic.twitter.com/T0DP5aEk5d The former two-weight titleholder in ONE Championship theorized that Nickal’s potential and the way that he has been pushed could have something to do with it “I get that from every part of the world at the moment maybe because he is such a prospect or something but people don’t really seem to like him that much but it is what it is there’s a lot of Iowa boys who came here from the wrestling program so they really told me De Ridder went on to reveal the reason that many fans have given him when explaining why they dislike Nickal stating that it’s more of a general vibe than a specific reason ‘He rubs me the wrong way.’ I don’t know… Must be something like that but he deserves it he does what he can and he’s won every fight It’s no secret that both Reinier de Ridder and Bo Nickal do their best work when the fight hits the floor but that could mean that they will end up cancelling each other out Whilst the American might have the wrestling ability to take his opponent down if he wants to you’re playing a dangerous game when you go to ground against the submission specialist that means relying on their striking to get the job done and this has been a slight issue for ‘RDR’ in the past The only two losses on de Ridder’s record came against Anatoly Malykhin in ONE Championship after he was unable to take the Russian powerhouse down It is worth noting that Malykhin is a much larger man than Nickal having also competed at heavyweight so this may not be as much of a factor on May 3 Home » MMA News » Bo Nickal » Bo Nickal shares brief words following… Bo Nickal kept things short in his reaction following a second-round TKO loss to Reinier de Ridder The UFC middleweight fight was held inside Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines Nickal was undefeated going into the fight but de Ridder’s pressure ending up winning the evening The former two-division ONE Championship titleholder scored the finish after landing a series of strikes that was topped off by a knee to the body that sent Nickal crashing to the mat While Nickal was the favorite going into the bout there were some experts and fans who felt de Ridder’s experience would be too much too soon for him A win for Nickal would’ve given him a spot in the top 15 UFC middleweight rankings but de Ridder hopes he’s now in position to face a top five fighter RELATED: REINIER DE RIDDER CALLS FOR SHOWDOWN WITH SEAN STRICKLAND AFTER UFC DES MOINES Following his UFC Des Moines loss, Bo Nickal didn’t a have lengthy message, but he vowed to push through (posed on Instagram) Some fans believe this will be a positive learning experience for Nickal There had been significant buzz for the once-unbeaten prospect but he was criticized for his UFC 309 performance against Paul Craig While it was just Nickal’s seventh pro MMA fight de Ridder may have positioned himself for a major fight He called out former UFC Middleweight Champion Sean Strickland de Ridder told reporters that he wants the fight and joked that he’d be ready for UFC 315 on Saturday de Ridder is now on a four-fight winning streak Back-to-back losses to Anatoly Malykhin in 2022 and 2024 are his lone defeats Whether or not UFC officials give him the fight that he’s looking for remains to be seen This article appeared first on BJPENN.COM BJPENN.COM is your premier source for all MMA and UFC News We serve you with the latest breaking news It is also the home of 2X UFC Hall of Fame Champion After a decade of on-line operation BJP has evolved into the most reliable destination for all of your MMA needs contact@bjpenn.com advertising@freestar.com 2025 BJ Penn Enterprises Privacy Policy 2024 BJ Penn Enterprises Privacy Policy This Saturday at UFC Des Moines, Bo Nickal was once again hopeful of proving he is more than just a wrestler when he took on Reinier De Ridder Ahead of their clash, Nickal worried fans with updates regarding his weight just a week out from the fight claiming that he was going to be cutting a substantial amount of weight Fortunately, though, the decorated college wrestler made weight this past Friday and the two middleweights threw down in Des Moines The fight began with De Ridder looking to put on forward pressure by putting the undefeated Nickal on the back foot Nickal did well to reverse the position early on and control the Dutch fighter against the cage the dominant wrestler scored his first takedown of the fight and began reigning down some heavy ground-and-pound on De Ridder He then attempted to latch onto a guillotine choke but De Ridder did a good job of reversing the attempt and ending up on top of Nickal the two ended up back to their feet where De Ridder finished the round landing a few strikes on Nickal De Ridder attempted to put forward pressure on Nickal by getting him up against the cage and locked into a body lock UPSET DELIVERED IN IOWA 💥Reinier de Ridder with a HUGE knockout in round 2! 👊[ #UFCDesMoines LIVE NOW on ESPN ] pic.twitter.com/aTh9lulep2 With the former ONE Championship title holder already ranked inside the top 15 of the UFC middleweight division he is only a few wins away now from putting himself into title contention Following his huge upset win over Nickal, De Ridder called for a fight against former champion, Sean Strickland stating he now wants to fight the best ‘American striker’ after fighting the best wrestler With Strickland coming off a loss to Dricus Du Plessis it could be a fight that makes sense for ‘Tarzan’ next Reinier de Ridder may have been in the co-main event at UFC Des Moines, but he arguably scored the biggest win on Saturday after he knocked off highly touted prospect Bo Nickal and now he’ll go home with an extra $50,000 as a result Following the first UFC event in Iowa in 25 years the promotion ultimately handed down four Performance of the Night bonuses with an extra $50,000 going to de Ridder following his stunning upset over Nickal — a three-time NCAA champion wrestler with a ton of hype surrounding him ever since he first signed with the UFC The win moved de Ridder to 3-0 in the UFC with his knockout over Nickal earning him his first post-fight bonuses UFC Des Moines main event winner Cory Sandhagen also scored an extra $50,000 after he secured a reversal during a grappling exchange that resulted in Deiveson Figueiredo suffering a gruesome knee injury that forced him to tap out Replays showed Sandhagen sitting up in a perfect position to trap Figueiredo’s leg and the Brazilian immediately grimaced in pain as he tapped out to end the fight Quang Le is also going home with a $50,000 bonus after he scored a rear-naked choke submission over Gaston Bolanos on the prelims The final bonus went to Azamat Bekoev after he moved to 2-0 in the UFC with his second straight stoppage victory. This time around, Bekoev delivered a vicious right hook followed by punches on the ground to finish TUF winner Ryan Loder in the first round Home » MMA News » Reinier de Ridder » Pros react after Reinier de Ridder TKO’s Bo Nickal at UFC… Tonight’s UFC Des Moines fight card was co-headlined by a highly anticipated middleweight bout between Bo Nickal and Reinier de Ridder Nickal (7-1 MMA) was returning to action for the first time since this past November at UFC 309, where he outpointed veteran Paul Craig on route to a unanimous decision victory. The 29-year-old had previously gone a perfect 4-0 inside of the Octagon earning stoppage wins in three of those four contests Tonight’s UFC Des Moines co-main proved to be a coming out party for ‘RDR’ The former two-division ONE FC champion showed no fear of getting in the clinch and grappling game with Bo Nickal and was able to get the better of the American on the ground in the opening round Reinier de Ridder decided to showcase his striking game and ended up putting Nickal down for good after landing a plethora of uppercuts followed by a knee to the liver Official UFC Des Moines Results: Reinier de Ridder def Check out how the pros reacted to ‘Nickal vs This should be interesting 🤼 🥋 — bjpenndotcom (@bjpenndotcom) May 4, 2025 — Aaron Bronsteter (@aaronbronsteter) May 4, 2025 Post-fight reactions to Reinier de Ridder defeating Bo Nickal at UFC Des Moines: Told yall he was silver back gorilla 🦍… — Kevin Holland (@Trailblaze2top) May 4, 2025 — Luke Rockhold (@LukeRockhold) May 4, 2025 Oh my goodness!!! #UFCDesMoines — Alan Jouban (@AlanJouban) May 4, 2025 Well Bo's comment about being the better striker didn't age too well…BUT he stepped up and competed with a very experienced veteran. And RDR was fearless!!! And it paid off HUGE!#UFCDesMoines — Corey 'Overtime' Anderson (@CoreyA_MMA) May 4, 2025 The wrestling world has taken a hit today. Keep your head up @NoBickal this is not the end I got finished by Demetrious Johnson with a similar body shot and I went on to avenge that loss and become champion — Henry Cejudo (@HenryCejudo) May 4, 2025 Bo will be back he’s young same way Henry C came back from being finish — Terrance McKinney (@twrecks155) May 4, 2025 If one’s standup and grappling is superior the wrestling pedigree merely allows their opponent to decide where they will lose — Al Iaquinta🗽 (@ALIAQUINTA) May 4, 2025 Who would you like to see Reinier de Ridder fight next following his TKO victory over Bo Nickal this evening in Iowa Bo Nickal is well aware of UFC Des Moines opponent Reinier de Ridder’s promise he will force the Penn State wrestling legend to grapple with him “I think he’s saying that because he doesn’t want to get knocked out,” Nickal told MMA Fighting I think he knows that I’m a better striker than him not to say he doesn’t have skills because he absolutely does and there’s a lot of things that he does really well on the feet I would hope it does because I think we’re both very talented there that we’ll get to see some exciting scrambles the MMA community has looked to his bright future: Matchups with big-named divisional opponents As he prepares to face the ranked de Ridder — who is unbeaten in the octagon since signing with the UFC — Nickal isn’t thinking about any of those future thoughts He’s solely focused on getting his hand raised at UFC Des Moines “I expect to win this fight,” Nickal explained I don’t know if it’ll be a finish or if it’ll be a decision I’m focused on giving 100 percent effort from the first bell to the last So the only thing I can go do is come to this opportunity with a lot of gratitude and maximum effort.” Middleweight Reinier de Ridder Reacts With Michael Bisping After His Second-Round TKO Victory Over Bo Nickal At UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs Figueiredo On May 3 One of the most highly-touted prospects in the history of MMA Nickal stopped the first three opponents he faced after joining the UFC before going the distance against Paul Craig at UFC 309 last November De Ridder also entered UFC Des Moines with an unbeaten Octagon record as the former ONE Championship star debuted with a submission-win against Gerald Meerschaert last year before he made short work of Kevin Holland at UFC 311 READ MORE: UFC Des Moines: Sandhagen vs. Figueiredo free live stream results & highlights Bo Nickal before fighting Reinier de Ridder at UFC Des Moines / (Zuffa LLC)De Ridder Stops Nickal With Brutal Body ShotDespite de Ridder's sizeable edge in MMA experience over Nickal the 34-year-old entered UFC De Moines as one of the bigger underdogs on the card 🚨 CAN'T MISS CO-MAIN Reinier De Ridder vs @NoBickal [ #UFCDesMoines LIVE NOW on ESPN ] pic.twitter.com/64oVYgV4PV It didn't take long for the significantly larger de Ridder to initiate a clinch before he was forced back to the cage and after an extended period where both men fought for position it was Nickal who managed to bring things to the mat A submission attempt from Nickal allowed de Ridder to scramble into top position before the two men returned to their feet in the final seconds of the first round The second frame once again opened with an extended clinch on the fence but after the pair moved to the center of the cage "RDR" landed a couple of solid knees that appeared to rattle his opponent READ MORE: Ex-UFC champ Miesha Tate loses comeback fight at 38 years old de Ridder began to apply pressure and continue landing knees until a perfectly-placed shot to the body folded Nickal to give the formerly-undefeated fighter his first MMA loss and add to the Dutch middleweight's perfect UFC record UPSET DELIVERED IN IOWA 💥Reinier de Ridder with a HUGE knockout in round 2! 👊[ #UFCDesMoines LIVE NOW on ESPN ] pic.twitter.com/aTh9lulep2 Stick with MMAKnockout for more FREE coverage of the UFC Follow MMAKnockout on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram DREW BEAUPREDrew is an MMA writer that regularly watches regional events in addition to major promotions such as the UFC, PFL, Bellator, and ONE Championship. He joined MMA Knockout when it was founded in 2023. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER Home » MMA News » Bo Nickal » … We have you covered for all of tonight’s UFC Des Moines results including the middleweight co-main event between Reinier de Ridder and Bo Nickal Nickal (7-1 MMA) was last seen in action this past November at UFC 309, where he outpointed veteran Paul Craig on route to a unanimous decision victory. The 29-year-old has gone a perfect 4-0 thus far inside of the Octagon Meanwhile, Reinier de Ridder (20-2 MMA) has gone a perfect 2-0 since joining the UFC ranks in November of last year, earning submission wins in both of those contests. The former two-division ONE FC champion began his UFC career by submitting Gerald Meerschaert and proceeded to do the same in his sophomore appearance against Kevin Holland Reinier De Ridder vs @NoBickal [ #UFCDesMoines LIVE NOW on ESPN ] pic.twitter.com/64oVYgV4PV — UFC (@ufc) May 4, 2025 Round one of the UFC Des Moines co-main event begins and Reinier de Ridder comes forward quickly Bo Nickal with a big overhand right that might have partially made contact He presses forward and pushes ‘RDR’ against the cage The former ONE champion breaks free and then looks to score a takedown Nickal switches the position and lands a knee to the body along the cage Another reversal and then another in terms of positioning Reinier de Ridder replies with a knee to the body He works some short punches and then reverses the position once again Bo Nickal explodes and gets Reinier down to the canvas He attempts to jump on a guillotine choke but that allows ‘RDR’ to take top position He escapes the choke and is now working from side control Bo Nickal gets back to half guard but he’s on the bottom against a BJJ standout Reinier de Ridder moves to side control and then passes to north-south position He manages to get to his feet and is now free from the clinch Round two of the UFC Des Moines co-main event begins and Reinier de Ridder comes forward aggressively with a nice combination He forces the clinch and pushes Bo Nickal against the cage The American switches the position and looks for a takedown He regains dominant position and lands a knee to the body The fighters continue to grapple for a potential takedown He lands a knee and then a flurry of uppercuts A big knee to the body and Bo Nickal goes down pic.twitter.com/aU4sW5yXya — bjpenndotcom (@bjpenndotcom) May 4, 2025 Reinier de Ridder with a HUGE knockout in round 2 [ #UFCDesMoines LIVE NOW on ESPN ] pic.twitter.com/aTh9lulep2 — UFC (@ufc) May 4, 2025 Bo Nickal via TKO (knee to the body) in Round 2 Who would you like to see De Ridder fight next following his TKO victory over Nickal this evening in Iowa he’s not looking all that exceptional anymore Perhaps expectations were unreasonably high Conversely, de Ridder has a ton more experience as a former ONE double champ. Since defecting to UFC, “The Dutch Knight” has won two bouts via submission to establish himself as a legitimate force at 185 pounds but he could really grow his star with a win here Let’s take a closer look at the betting odds and strategic keys for each athlete: Nickal — the world class wrestler — is faced with an expert jiu-jitsu player he opted to stand-and-trade with Paul Craig rather than risk getting tapped out Nickal is likely going to have to wrestle to avoid taking big shots His left hand should be enough to at least keep de Ridder honest and help him set up his own takedowns The simple fact of modern mixed martial arts (MMA) is that it’s not that hard to avoid submissions from top position If Nickal sets up his initial shot carefully then he should be able to navigate the waters of de Ridder’s guard It’s a simple matter of maintaining posture and following the hips which should be a manageable task for the blue-chip prospect “RDR” is certainly a fun fighter if nothing else He’s an aggressive and lanky striker with little mind for defense His transitions and submission skills are excellent as he’s secured 13 of his previous fights via tapout tit-for-tat striking match against a younger athlete He also doesn’t want to be stuck in full guard for an extended period of time beneath a world-class wrestler which means he can take advantage of Nickal’s inexperience The best way to do so is put him on his back foot and put numbers in his face and that’s exactly the situation that could see him dive into a strangle but at least the lanky Dutchman is comfortable throwing down It’s easy to envision an aggressive de Ridder stunning Nickal and catching him with a quick guillotine I just don’t think I can do it! Nickal is five years younger and wildly more athletic. He trains with one of the best camps in the world. It should take a bonafide Top 10 Middleweight to stop the Nickal train even at this stage of the game and I’m unconvinced that de Ridder is that guy faces off against former Flyweight champion promising an intense battle in the 185-pound division To checkout the latest and greatest UFC Des Moines news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive here Reinier de Ridder brought the hype around Bo Nickal to a staggering halt on Saturday after scoring a brutal body shot knockout to end the UFC Des Moines co-main event in dramatic fashion In a fight that was billed as wrestling against grappling de Ridder showed off his superior striking as he continuously battered Nickal with knees every time they engaged in the clinch The constant barrage paid off with de Ridder lining up a devastating knee that crushed Nickal to the body as he tried to move away and instead he crumbled to the canvas REINIER DE RIDDER KNOCKS OUT BO NICKAL TO HAND HIM HIS FIRST MMA LOSS #UFCDESMOINES pic.twitter.com/Um2kLpFezN The referee rushed in to stop the contest with the end coming at 1:53 in the second round as de Ridder ends Nickal’s undefeated run to start his career I’ve been spending so much time in the U.S. I wanted to see if I was still Dutch,” de Ridder joked about his striking to set up the knockout “I wanted to say this is the best American wrestling you have de Ridder was actually already showing superior control as he kept frustrating Nickal in every facet of the fight When the action started it was Nickal throwing heavy hands but de Ridder was constantly threatening with the takedown as the middleweights battled for position against the cage Nickal eventually scored a slick reversal to drag the fight to the canvas but de Ridder scrambled out of a guillotine choke attempt to then land on top de Ridder maintained control for a few moments but Nickal eventually worked his way free to get back to the feet de Ridder once again welcomed the clinch as he started launching some hard knees to the body Nickal seemed labored in his movement as he struggled to maintain position but he was still winging big punches while trying to back de Ridder off Unfortunately it didn’t work as de Ridder fired right back at him with more precision including the massive knee strike up the middle that connected directly to Nickal’s midsection The three-time NCAA champion wrestler immediate dropped the canvas and referee Mike Beltran jumped into stop the fight to prevent him from receiving further punishment It was a huge moment for de Ridder as he moved to 3-0 in the UFC but more importantly he scored a victory over one of the most highly touted prospects in recent history Now he might actually get to pick his shot, especially with de Ridder already calling for a fight against a former champion in Sean Strickland Though ‘The Dutch Knight’ is best known for his submission skills, it was his striking that saw de Ridder hand Nickal his first loss in Des Moines The victory takes the former ONE Championship star to three wins in a row inside the Octagon since he debuted with the promotion last November Having finished all three of his opponents, he’s now looking to face one of the top names in the middleweight division with de Ridder calling out Sean Strickland As for the American, he’s found out what a former opponent of the Dutchman already knew with Nickal being accused of quitting after he was stopped in the second round Having been frustrated during his time in ONE Championship, Reinier de Ridder is making up for his lack of activity in recent years by immediately making a big impression inside the Octagon There were a lot of questions as to how well he’d be able to compete in the UFC’s 185-pound division but a former opponent of his didn’t have doubts after he shared the cage with ‘RDR’ In his second outing at UFC 311, de Ridder recorded back-to-back submission wins after he quickly took Kevin Holland down and finished him inside the first round The Dutch Knight 🇳🇱 ⚔️ #UFCDesMoinesRenier De Ridder is a wizard on the mat 🔥 pic.twitter.com/SQW39DkYXj With the vast majority of his wins coming via this method, many felt like he could threaten Bo Nickal if the fight hit the floor but this didn’t end up playing a major factor Holland weighed in on social media as his former opponent produced one of the biggest wins possible in the middleweight division ‘Trailblazer’ reminded fans that he’d already spoken about how big and physically strong de Ridder is before he went and put Nickal away in style Following his win over a decorated wrestler in Bo Nickal, Reinier de Ridder said that he now wants to face the top American striker in the division, Sean Strickland There’s certainly no denying that if the recent arrival was to beat the former champion he’d have a one-way ticket to a title fight The one issue might be that there’s a big gap between them in the UFC rankings but as de Ridder said ahead of the fight beating an unranked Nickal was always going to elevate his stock significantly Two other former middleweight champions in Israel Adesanya and Robert Whittaker could be two more options and though de Ridder might be aiming higher, a matchup with the #9-ranked Anthony Hernandez would be a lot of fun stopping the hype train that is Bo Nickal with a vicious second-round liver shot TKO (knee to the body) Nickal is UFC’s top blue chip prospect these days and was pegged as a sizeable betting favorite coming into Saturday’s co-main event His collegiate wrestling pedigree and overall MMA potential were supposed to be good enough to push his undefeated UFC record to 5-0 was looking to prove a point and come out of Des Moines the biggest winner on the card De Ridder surprised in the early going by gaining top control during a scramble to the mat and turning Nickal on the defensive on the feet The Dutch submission specialist looked confident in his strikes and was able to do good work to the body but was lacking the extra level needed to ward off RDR de Ridder’s efforts paid off as he kept piling on punches and had Nickal backtracking towards the fence That’s when RDR stepped in with a perfectly-placed knee to the body that instantly shut Nickal down It was a tremendous finish by de Ridder who now pushes his his UFC record to 3-0 after submission wins over Kevin Holland and Gerald Meerschaert Check out the final moments of de Ridder vs Nickal in the above video player and let us know your thoughts Reinier de Ridder will face a fellow grappling specialist in the UFC’s middleweight division ONE Championship’s former two-weight champion has hit the ground running since debuting inside the Octagon last November With back-to-back submission wins over Gerald Meerschaert and Kevin Holland, de Ridder has shown that he’s still an incredibly dangerous operator once the fight hits the floor In Des Moines, he will look to secure his biggest win to date when he faces the undefeated Bo Nickal in the co-main event on May 3 Long before he started to make some noise in the UFC at 185-pounds ‘The Dutch Knight’ had already earned a reputation for rendering his opponents unconscious With 14 of his 19 wins coming by submission it’s no secret what Reinier de Ridder is trying to do when he steps inside the cage but this approach proved to be incredibly successful for him during his time in ONE Championship His most impressive finish came at ONE 159 in July of 2022 where he put his ONE middleweight title on the line for the second time after dethroning Aung La N Sang and taking his two belts in back-to-back fights was riding a three-fight win streak heading into his title shot but his momentum didn’t stop him from falling into a trap it was the challenger who was the first one take the fight to the floor after he jumped for a tight guillotine choke that de Ridder survived ‘The Dutch Knight’ dominated from the top until he lost the position after going for a kimura which resulted in him being on the bottom This scramble only ended up backfiring for the challenger who was instantly being threated by another submission as de Ridder locked up an inverted triangle choke with his legs and put Bigdash to sleep in just under 3 and a half minutes The finish earned ONE Championship’s 2022 submission of the year as ‘RDR’ advanced to 16-0 in his pro career It’s a regular occurrence in MMA that when you get two accomplished grapplers they choose to test each others striking rather than relying on their specialist skillsets This was the case for Bo Nickal and Paul Craig when they met at UFC 309 last November where the American produced a unanimous decision win Though he did receive some criticism for his performance Nickal showed that he could beat a dangerous grappler without needing to use his wrestling We will find out on May 3 whether he can do the same thing to Reinier de Ridder or whether ‘The Dutch Knight’ will earn his third consecutive win in just 7 months “RDR” deserves to fight up after facing the unranked Nickal, and this fight allows him to break into the top 10 of the division. Doing so will be no easy feat, with the experienced Marvin Vettori providing the perfect next test. The 16-fight UFC veteran has one of the most well-rounded skill sets within the middleweight division wrestling and arguably the most unbreakable chin in the entire organisation make the Italian a gruelling opponent for even the most gifted fighter This is exactly the test de Ridder deserves and needs if he is to take the next step to becoming a serious title challenger at 185 pounds A potential fight night main event spot would be perfect to watch if “RDR” has the tools and gas tank to achieve his title aspirations Whilst there has been talk of a trilogy fight between Vettori and Roman Dolidze this feels unnecessary and frankly unappealing Reinier de Ridder would be a far more intriguing matchup for Vettori and would give fans something to get excited about Now, I will be the first to admit I would be disappointed if this is the fight the UFC comes up with for the surging Borralho “The Natural” deserves a number one contender’s fight to set him up for a title shot the “Fighting Nerds” leader cannot find a fight right now It has been nearly 9 months since he last made the walk to the octagon and he recently emphasised his desire to fight so why not take on the #13-ranked de Ridder Reinier de Ridder has gained a big audience following his finish of Nickal and could bring a lot of eyes to his next fight this fight would be the perfect opportunity to climb the rankings and leave himself potentially just one win away from a title shot This matchup may seem far-fetched right now but if Caio Borralho cannot find himself a fight soon he may be forced to look down the rankings for a potential opponent He is also one of the few middleweights who can match Reinier de Ridder’s size and stature with the only holdup being Paulo Costa’s rumoured fight with Roman Kopylov I would love to see a war between “The Eraser” and “RDR” take centre stage instead In conclusion, all three fights have potential for Reinier de Ridder’s next challenge. Vettori seems the most likely, Costa the most exciting and Borralho the long-shot. Let us see what Dana White and the UFC brass decide is next for the surging Dutchman SubscribeSorry No one has come close to matching Bo Nickal’s dominance on the mat and Reiner de Ridder doesn’t look like the man to break that streak Undefeated wrestling standout Bo Nickal steps up his game versus Reinier de Ridder in the co-main event of tonight's UFC Fight Night card.  As Nickal continues his climb as one of the UFC’s most prized prospects he’s bound to get the best of an elite submission artist UFC odds favor Nickal at -330, and de Ridder is a +245 underdog. Here are my best free UFC Fight Night: Nickal vs. de Ridder predictions from the Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines Fight analysisAfter a series of high-profile soft touches on multiple pay-per-view cards Bo Nickal is finally stepping up against former ONE champion Reinier de Ridder as the UFC gauges just how far its American wrestling phenom can go De Ridder is a former middleweight and light heavyweight champion in ONE he didn’t deliver his usual fireworks avoiding the ground entirely and outstriking him Nickal showcased improved striking and wisely avoided the submission traps that have caught many others against Craig Nickal’s wrestling will be tested in a way we haven’t seen before but that’s not necessarily a bad thing as de Ridder’s striking is average at best De Ridder shines in the takedown and submission game thanks to his elite BJJ he’s averaged 6.89 takedowns and 2.0 submissions per fight and his three-inch height edge and 78-inch reach will help him close distance the key is to get takedowns early and grind on Nickal Expect Nickal to control the striking with his superior power He can't afford to get sucked into scrambles where de Ridder thrives but if he stays disciplined and forces this to remain standing but it’s one Nickal should pass.  Best bet analysisWhile Nickal has the raw wrestling strength he hasn’t flashed true knockout power in his striking and de Ridder has a proven chin despite two knockout losses on his record Expect a largely stand-up fight that goes the distance One of Canada's best sportsbooks for UFC betting, join BET99 and get up to $1,000 bonus bets back if your first bet doesn’t win when using our BET99 promo code COVERSBONUS! Not intended for use in MA.Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links. After a decade of covering all things boxing, from recapping the sport’s biggest fights to sharing behind-the-scenes details of the sweet science, Danny found himself immersed in sports betting, focusing on the sports he knows best. As a boxing and MMA contributor with seasoned experience from growing up around each sport, he can uncover the nuances and intangibles that can make the difference between victory and defeat. Danny’s work has been mentioned on ESPN and USA Today, and he was a featured guest on The Esportz Network podcast, where he shared his combat sports insights. He is also a published author, with his novel And Stay Down! Boxing’s Worst Comebacks available on Amazon. Danny is always on the lookout for the best odds and props when it comes to fight night, with Draft Kings and BetMGM being his go-to sites. Danny’s approach to finding value in the theater of the unexpected hinges on the fighters' recent form, especially when considering props. © 2025 BVM Sports. Best Version Media, LLC. This defeat marks Nickal's first in the Octagon during which he was heavily criticized by fans and labeled a "fraud" on social media Veteran referee John McCarthy pointed out that Nickal's experience highlighted the realities of fighting at the elite level which starkly differs from practice sessions solidified his standing for a potential title eliminator against Sean Strickland following this victory Bo Nickal will need to reassess and adapt his strategy to regain momentum in his fighting career while de Ridder is likely to face higher-ranked opponents that could lead to a title shot This loss underscores the unpredictable nature of MMA where experience and adaptability are crucial for success at the highest levels emphasizing that even elite prospects can be blindsided by seasoned competitors The summary of the linked article was generated with the assistance of artificial intelligence technology from OpenAI We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it OK Privacy policy Reinier de Ridder promised he wasn’t wasting any time after signing with the UFC and his co-main event against Bo Nickal on Saturday at UFC Des Moines could put him on the cusp of title contention with a win “That’s what I’m thinking,” de Ridder told MMA Fighting about his title fight hopes “Because a lot of guys at the top have already fought each other so yeah I think I have something to say at least.” As a middleweight working his way up the rankings de Ridder always had a vested interest in the title fight between du Plessis and Chimaev which is still awaiting an actual date in 2025 But more than just watching as a possible opponent for the winner down the road de Ridder also spent time working with both du Plessis and Chimaev in the past so he’s got a little more knowledge on how this matchup might actually play out “I’ve had some experience with both of the guys I’ve trained with both of them,” de Ridder said Khamzat is most likely going to come out guns blazing again shoot right away but Dricus is not that easy to take down “I don’t see Khamzat taking him down right away and to be honest I don’t see Khamzat choking him out in the first round.” de Ridder expects du Plessis to really take over with each passing minute in the fight “Every round he doesn’t choke him out is going to get worse for him,” de Ridder said about Chimaev “Because with that unorthodox style of Dricus and those heavy hands I think it might be a long night for Khamzat.” du Plessis has continuously found ways to surprise his opponents despite not always employing the most traditional techniques de Ridder believes that’s what makes du Plessis such a difficult matchup because it’s nearly impossible to predict what he’ll do next the technique [just goes out the door] but somehow he stays strong I’m going with Dricus but Khamzat would be cool de Ridder actually spent time in the same regional organization as du Plessis but they never crossed paths They eventually trained together and de Ridder has nothing but praise for the time he spent working with du Plessis but that won’t stop him from going after his UFC title I can understand what he says in Afrikaans He’s pretty similar to his fighting style — all over the place I think that would be a very cool fight to get down the line.” This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Home » MMA News » Reinier de Ridder » Reinier de Ridder calls for showdown with Sean Strickland after… UFC middleweight contender Reinier de Ridder has called for a showdown with Sean Strickland after his win at UFC Des Moines Since entering the Ultimate Fighting Championship Reinier de Ridder has looked like an absolute machine That was especially true in his co-main event contest with Bo Nickal last night and he was eventually able to secure the finish as a result of some really nasty knees that the American wrestling sensation simply couldn’t handle RELATED: Pros react after Reinier de Ridder TKO’s Bo Nickal at UFC Des Moines he’s been a breath of fresh air in the middleweight division since his arrival many have already started to question what could be next for de Ridder There’s a lot of excitement surrounding him and what he could potentially achieve with some thinking that he could hold the keys to victory against the elite at 185 pounds de Ridder doubled down on his plan to fight Sean Strickland in order to continue proving himself in the striking department Quotes via MMA Fighting fight fans – because the RDR story in the UFC is only just beginning What did you make of Reinier de Ridder’s performance in his victory over Bo Nickal Do you believe he has earned the right to face someone like Sean Strickland The UFC handed out four bonuses after Saturday's card including to some of the biggest highlight-reel moments of the year so far After UFC on ESPN 67 four fighters picked up an extra $50,000 for their performances in Des Moines Quang Le def. Gaston Bolanos via technical submission (rear-naked choke) – 1:54, Round 1 Quang Le's (9-2 MMA, 1-2 UFC) first octagon victory was an impressive one as he became the first to submit Gaston Bolanos (8-5 MMA, 2-2 UFC) by choking the Bellator veteran unconscious in the second round of their bantamweight bout on the prelims Azamat Bekoev def. Ryan Loder via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 2:44 After pleading for the UFC to sign him, Azamat Bekoev (20-3 MMA, 2-0 UFC) is proving he belongs. His second octagon appearance saw him score a second consecutive first-round knockout when he floored "The Ultimate Fighter" winner Ryan Loder (7-2 MMA 1-1 UFC) less than three minutes into the opening round of their middleweight bout Performance of the Night: Reinier de RidderReinier de Ridder def. Bo Nickal via TKO (strikes) – Round 2, 1:53 Reinier de Ridder (20-2 MMA, 3-0 UFC) pulled off the stunner of the night when he lit up highly touted middleweight prospect Bo Nickal (7-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC). The former two-division ONE Championship titleholder worked the body before a final knee sent Nickal crumpling to the mat for the TKO giving him his first octagon bonus in an upset Cory Sandhagen def. Deiveson Figueiredo via TKO (injury) – Round 2, 4:08 Cory Sandhagen (18-5 MMA, 11-4 UFC) delivered a ruthless destruction of Deiveson Figueiredo (24-5-1 MMA, 13-5-1 UFC) in the bantamweight main event, battering the former flyweight champion in the first, then tangling his leg for an injury TKO finish in the second Sandhagen becomes the ninth bantamweight to be awarded five or more fight-night bonuses Don’t expect many cheers for Bo Nickal this weekend in “The Hawkeye State.” The former NCAA Division 1 national champion out of Penn State will look to keep his perfect record intact when he collides with Dutch submission specialist Reinier de Ridder in the UFC Des Moines co-main event this Sat night (May 3) at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines The anti-Nickal movement appears to be a global phenomenon “I get that from every part of the world,” De Ridder told Mike Bohn “Maybe because he’s a such a prospect or something but people don’t really seem to like him much there are a lot of Iowa boys who came here from the wrestling program ‘Go get this guy.’ People just say he rubs [them] the wrong way.” Maybe it’s all those pre-fight math lessons I have to get into the clinch and it doesn’t really matter what he wants to do I learned a lot from the [Paul Craig] fight Not well enough, losing by unanimous decision at UFC 309 The 34 year-old De Ridder is already 2-0 inside the Octagon with a pair of slick chokes and now boasts 13 taps in 19 wins His biggest challenge will be to control the top-heavy Nickal who finished six of his seven opponents by way of knockout or submission To see the rest of the UFC Des Moines fight card and ESPN2 lineup click here Reinier de Ridder pulled off a stunning upset against Bo Nickal handing the top UFC prospect his first career loss De Ridder finished Nickal with a devastating knee to the body in the co-main event of UFC Des Moines on Saturday night The TKO win came at the 1:53 mark of the second round falls to 4-1 in the UFC and 7-1 as a professional MMA fighter Nickal was attempting to crack the top 15 of the middleweight division against the No he's headed to the drawing board for the first time in his career De Ridder expressed interest in a matchup against former champion Sean Strickland A former ONE Championship two-division titleholder De Ridder improved to 3-0 in the UFC with the win over Nickal He made his Octagon debut last November and has beaten Gerald Meerschaert Home » MMA News » Reinier de Ridder » UFC Des Moines Bonus Report: Reinier de Ridder one of four fighters… The Octagon returned to Iowa for tonight’s UFC Des Moines event and four fighters wound up taking home performance bonuses The fight card was headlined by a key men’s bantamweight matchup between Cory Sandhagen and Deiveson Figueiredo The highly anticipated contest resulted in an extremely impressive showing from Sandhagen After landing some solid low kicks and jabs in the opening couple of minutes ‘The Sandman’ promptly took the fight to the floor and landed some solid ground and pound before the horn sounded to end the opening round Cory Sandhagen once again got Deiveson Figueiredo to the floor and wound up finishing him with a knee bar submission hold The bout was ruled a TKO stoppage due to injury but there was no doubt that ‘Figgy’ tapped from the leg lock UFC Des Moines was co-headlined by an intriguing middleweight showdown between Reinier de Ridder and Bo Nickal The contest proved to be a coming out party for ‘RDR’ Following the conclusion of tonight’s event UFC officials announced at the post-fight press conference that four fighters would be taking home performance bonuses Performance of the night: Cory Sandhagen earned an extra $50k for his second-round finish of Deiveson Figueiredo in tonight’s UFC Des Moines main event (see that here) Performance of the night: Reinier de Ridder pocketed an extra $50k for his second-round TKO victory over Bo Nickal in tonight’s co-headliner (see that here) ‘RDR’ handed the American wrestler the first loss of his career tonight in Iowa Performance of the night: Azamat Bekoev earned an extra $50k for his first-round TKO victory over Ryan Loder on tonight’s prelims (see that here) Performance of the night: Quang Le pocketed an extra $50k for his second-round submission victory over Gaston Bolanos (see that here) Are you surprised by any of the performance bonuses handed out by Dana White and company following the conclusion of tonight’s UFC Des Moines event Share your thoughts in the comment section PENN Nation The 7-0 contender has his eyes firmly set on the middleweight title believing a victory over the former ONE Championship King will move him one step closer to achieving his goal Going into the contest as a three-time NCAA Division One national wrestling champion many believe the American should utilize his sublime grappling skills to get the job done However, with Nickal knocking out Val Woodburn with massive shots the prospect has proven he’s got plenty more strings to his bow WOW: Bo Nickal responds to YouTuber Mr. Beast’s head-scratching challenge Bo Nickal has a massive amount of respect for the skill set Reinier de Ridder will bring to the table later tonight the undefeated fighter has not shied away from claiming that he believes his rival has weaknesses across the board the 29-year-old explained: “He’s very creative on the ground so that’s something I look at as high-level skills so he’s a guy that uses that to his advantage in the clinch and being able to throw people and I think that he’s got a really good jab and so that’s something I’ll look to exploit And I feel that with the game plan that my team and I have set that I’ll be able to do that.” While Nickal certainly isn’t lacking in confidence he’s had to go through his fair share of adversity over the last few days with fighters often having to drop a significant amount of pounds to get down to their respective divisions Somehow, Nickal apparently lost 37 lbs in one week for his fight at UFC Des Moines Reinier de Ridder has fans rooting for him to shut down Bo Nickal's hype at UFC on ESPN 67 De Ridder meets wrestling standout Nickal (7-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) in Saturday's co-main event (ESPN2, ESPN+) at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines De Ridder will look to hand the former NCAA Division I champion wrestler at Penn State his first loss He admits he's gotten messages from all over the world eager for him to beat Nickal – a first time experience I don't know why," De Ridder told MMA Junkie "Maybe because he's a such a prospect or something but people don't really seem to like him that much Nickal is coming off a lackluster decision win over Paul Craig at UFC 309 where he opted not to take him down and just outpoint him De Ridder is aware that he has to bring the fight to Nickal in order to find success and it doesn't really matter what he wants to do He gave (Paul Craig) all the time to circle out Paul Craig was doing pretty well in the striking But this one is not going to look anything like that."