The UFC may hold some responsibility for Bo Nickal’s first loss inside the Octagon.
Nickal has entered the new year after a mixed 2025, during which he lost his ‘0’ in mixed martial arts courtesy of Reinier de Ridder’s efforts last May.
De Ridder stopped Nickal via TKO at UFC Des Moines, ending the three-time NCAA Division I national champion’s undefeated run in MMA after eight fights.
Nickal’s brutal knockout at UFC 322 against Rodolfo Vieira saw him bounce back in a big way, suggesting that the defeat to ‘The Dutch Knight’ may simply have been a case of too much, too soon.
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How high is Bo Nickal’s ceiling in MMA?
Bo Nickal shrugs inside the Octagon at UFC 290. Credit: Cooper Neill/Zuffa LLC
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Coach Mike Brown knew the UFC was pushing Bo Nickal ‘too fast’
Prior to being matched up against De Ridder, Nickal had defeated Paul Craig, Cody Brundage, Val Woodburn, and Jamie Pickett in the UFC.
The step-up to fighting a former two division titleholder under the ONE Championship banner who was competing for the 22nd time as a professional proved to be too steep for Nickal at the time.
As it turns out, that did not come as a surprise to the elite wrestler’s team.
“He was moving a bit too fast,” American Top Team coach Mike Brown told MMA Fighting. “We all knew it. He knew it. I knew it. We all knew it. Management knew it.
“But he was also getting paid very well….
2026-01-10 11:30:00
