When the next ranking drops, the only UFC loss of Bo Nickal is for a top 5-party.
The Netherlands' Reinier de Ridder made an impression in his fourth UFC fight when he faces former champion Robert Whittaker in his first main event.
De Ridder turned Whittaker out in a hard-fought five-round fight on UFC Abu Dhabi on Saturday and won a controversial split decision.
De Ridder earned a crack at Whittaker after he had eliminated a highly praised wrestler Bo Nickal in May with a knee to the body in UFC des Moines. This was the first UFC loss of Nickal, where many fans claimed that he was 'fraud'.
Although the story seems to have changed for Nickal after the performance of the knight above Whittaker, some argued that Nickal was the 'most overrated' hunter on the UFC selection to claim that he could surpass the will of unbeaten title chamzat Chimaev.
Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC
Daniel Cormier explains why Bo Nickal is not 'overestimated'
On the poundcast of Pound 4 Pound, former Tweede division UFC champion and UFC commentator Daniel Cormier were asked who he thinks that the most overrated and underestimated hunters are in the UFC.
Cormier stated that UFC fly weight champion Alexandre Pantoja was the most underestimated hunter, but he could not call overrated hunter.
“I think of guys. I think of women. There is no name that stops the page to me,” Cormier replied.
“I will help you with that … Bo Nickal,” suggested Henry Cejudo.
“I don't think he's overestimated,” Cormier did not agree.
“I think self -value and self -value is very important. I think his self -value was slightly higher than he thought it should be, and that forced the company to move him faster than it had to be moved. So I don't think he's overestimated.”
The 29-year-old Nickal is 4-1 in the UFC and comes from his first loss for the Headliner De Ridder of yesterday. The NCAA thruster made his Pro MMA debut just over three years ago in 2022.
“I think he is exactly where he should be in his career at this point,” Cormier said about the non -broken Nickal.
“But when you start talking … Bo starts to talk about Khamzat [after submitting Cody Brundage].
“Seriously, Bo is starting to talk about Khamzat. They put him in with Paul Craig. At one point he was in the top 15. Just beat a man in the top 15 or that was in the top 15, they have to help you move forward.
“And so RDR gets him and to be honest, RDR should have been preferred to get him. Champion. [Championship]. But again, it's like all hype. I think he was just moved faster than he needed to move, “Cormier added.
Bo Nickal sends a message to Reinier de Ridder after UFC Abu Dhabi Win
De Ridder heard Nickal from his former enemy after defeating Whittaker.
Nickal hopes one day that they will meet in a rematch, but for now the wrestler keeps it stylish.
“Congratulations on RDR, that was a great fight,” Nickal wrote on X.
Congratulations on RDR, that was a great fight. Title shot next.
I still have a long way to go, but I will continue to improve, get better and maybe we will ever repeat.
– Bo Nickal (@nobickal) July 26, 2025
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“Title shot next.
“I still have a long, long way to go, but I will continue to improve, get better and maybe we will repeat,” Nickal added.