Bo Nickal has rarely experienced defeat throughout his decorated athletic background, yet he has consistently demonstrated an ability to bounce back stronger.
This was the core message conveyed by the three-time NCAA national champion wrestler after he broke his silence regarding the disappointing outcome of his co-main event bout against Reinier de Ridder at UFC Des Moines. The highly-touted prospect was handed a second-round knockout loss following a punishing knee strike to the body delivered by de Ridder, which brought the fight to an end.
While certainly not the result he had aimed for, Nickal expressed his determination to rebound when he steps back into the octagon.
“Grateful for the highs and lows,” Nickal posted on Instagram. “I’ll be back.”
Immediately following the fight on Saturday, American Top Team, the gym where Nickal trains, also issued a brief statement on their social media channels, echoing a similar sentiment regarding the result.
“Less than four years in the sport, and already on the biggest stage. Setbacks are part of the journey. Learn, grow, and come back stronger. Bo Nickal will be back.”
Prior to his loss against de Ridder on Saturday, Nickal`s professional MMA record was nearly perfect, standing at 7-0 with six victories coming via knockout or submission.
His previous fight against veteran Paul Craig was the first time Nickal had gone to a decision, but his winning streak was definitively halted when he faced de Ridder.
The former two-division ONE Championship titleholder proved challenging for Nickal in the clinch and even managed to gain control of the Penn State wrestling standout on the ground after a grappling exchange resulted in de Ridder securing top position.
However, despite the pre-fight focus on Nickal’s wrestling pedigree and de Ridder’s elite jiu-jitsu skills, the striking element ultimately proved decisive in the fight.
As Nickal`s movement appeared to slow down, de Ridder began concentrating his attack on the body with a series of knee strikes. After Nickal attempted an ill-advised boxing combination, de Ridder countered effectively with a direct knee to the midsection, which caused the 29-year-old middleweight competitor to collapse onto the canvas.
The defeat adjusts Nickal`s career record to 7-1, but he is clearly focused on drawing lessons from this experience with the goal of achieving a better outcome in his future contests.
