Reinier de Ridder put a dramatic halt to the considerable hype surrounding Bo Nickal on Saturday night by securing a brutal body shot knockout in the co-main event of UFC Des Moines.
Although the contest was largely framed as a battle of wrestling prowess, de Ridder instead showcased his superior striking ability. He consistently punished Nickal with hard knees whenever they tied up in the clinch. This persistent attack paid dividends when de Ridder unleashed a powerful knee that landed flush on Nickal`s body as he attempted to retreat, causing him to collapse to the canvas.
The referee quickly intervened to stop the bout at the 1:53 mark of the second round, marking the end of Nickal’s previously undefeated professional career.
Following the win, de Ridder lightheartedly commented on his striking, saying, “I was just going to say, I’ve been spending so much time in the U.S., I wanted to see if I was still Dutch.”
He then issued a direct challenge: “I wanted to say this is the best American wrestling you have, right? Now give you the best American striker. [Sean] Strickland, you’re up, buddy! Let’s go.”
Before the knockout and subsequent callout, de Ridder had already demonstrated excellent control, frequently frustrating Nickal throughout the fight.
Early in the fight, Nickal threw heavy punches, but de Ridder constantly threatened takedowns as the middleweights jockeyed for position against the cage. Nickal managed a slick reversal to bring the fight to the ground but de Ridder effectively escaped a guillotine choke attempt and ended up in a dominant top position.
De Ridder maintained control for a short period before Nickal eventually scrambled free and returned to his feet.
As the second round commenced, de Ridder again welcomed the clinch exchanges, initiating a series of hard knees to the body. Nickal appeared visibly labored in his movement and struggled to maintain position, yet he continued to swing big punches while trying to deter de Ridder.
However, this approach was unsuccessful. De Ridder responded with more precise strikes, including the decisive, powerful knee up the middle that connected directly to Nickal’s midsection. The three-time NCAA champion wrestler immediately fell to the mat, prompting referee Mike Beltran to halt the fight to prevent further damage.
This was a significant victory for de Ridder, improving his UFC record to 3-0. More importantly, he secured a win over one of the most talked-about prospects in recent MMA history.
Now, de Ridder is in a strong position to potentially choose his next opponent, especially having already called out a prominent former champion in Sean Strickland.
