Press Release: Bo Nickal’s Undefeated Streak Ends in Upset at UFC Des Moines
DES MOINES, IA—Bo Nickal’s highly anticipated undefeated streak in the UFC came to an unexpected halt on Saturday night as he faced Reiner de Ridder at the UFC Des Moines event. Nickal, a former Penn State wrestling champion and an emerging name in mixed martial arts, suffered a devastating loss due to a knee strike to the liver, leading to a TKO at 1:38 of the second round.
Throughout the matchup, de Ridder showcased his grappling expertise, consistently landing knee strikes that seemed to trouble Nickal. Following the fight, de Ridder humorously remarked, “Was just going to say, been spending so much time in the U.S., just wanted to check and see if I’m still Dutch… So, I tried them knees, and they are still working.” His strategy proved effective against the decorated wrestler, who was caught off guard by de Ridder’s striking capabilities.
De Ridder, renowned as a former two-division titleholder in ONE Championship, improved his record to 20-2 with this significant victory, marking him as the most seasoned opponent Nickal has faced in his young career. When questioned about Nickal’s decision to grapple, de Ridder expressed surprise, noting, “I noticed during the fight he was fading a little bit.”
On the other hand, Nickal’s record now stands at 7-1 following this defeat, and he did not participate in post-fight interviews. Fans and analysts alike will be eager to see how this loss will impact Nickal’s promising career moving forward, while de Ridder continues to solidify his status among MMA’s elite.
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