Bo Nickal is no longer an unbeaten blue chip perspective in the UFC.
This Saturday at UFC des Moines, Bo Nickal was again hopeful to prove that he is more than just a wrestler when he accepted Reinier de Ridder.
In anticipation of their collision, Nickal worried fans with updates on his weight just a week out of the fight, claiming that he would cut a considerable amount of weight.
Fortunately, the decorated college wrestler was weighed last Friday and the two middle weights threw down in the Moines.
Photo by Josh Hedges/Zuffa LLC
Bo Nickal suffers shock loss at UFC des Moines
The fight began with De Ridder who was looking to put pressure on by putting the unbeaten nickal on the rear. Nevertheless, Nickal did well to reverse the position early and to check the Dutch hunter against the cage.
Halfway through the round, the dominant wrestler scored his first removal of the fight and started to rule some heavy ground-and-pounds on the knight.
He then tried to capture a guillotine choke, but De Ridder opposed the attempt well and ended up on top of Nickal. Unable to get a submission, the two ended back to their feet where De Ridder was circulating and a few strikes on Nickal Landen.
Again in round two, De Ridder tried to put the pressure on Nickal by getting him against the cage and being locked up in a body lock. Because Nickal continued to place the cage, De Ridder tried to land a knee in the middle, who did not flush.
And then, with Nickal who withdrew, the Dutchman landed a knee in the middle, this time landing to the body of Nickal, sinking him on the ground and ended the fight.
Reinier de Ridder calls Sean Strickland
With the former championship title holder already arranged in the top 15 of the UFC Middleweight Division, he is now only a few victories of himself in the title.
After his enormous upset victory over Nickal, De Ridder called for a fight against former champion, Sean Strickland, stating that he now wants to fight against the best 'American striker' after fighting against the best wrestler.
Now that Strickland loss is coming for Dricus du Plessis, it can be a fight that makes sense to 'Tarzan'.