Time to dust off the wrestling shoes.
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Middleweight Bo Nickal, suffered his first professional loss against Reinier de Ridder in the co-main event of UFC Des Moines this past weekend (Sat., May 3, 2025), absorbing a devastating knee to the liver that crumbled him from inside Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa (watch highlights).
Much dialogue has been about the promising prospect’s loss, with many people dogpiling on the outspoken three-time NCAA Division I national champion. However, his gym remains supportive, urging fans and detractors alike to stay calm and emphasizing that Nickal is still developing as a fighter.
Fellow standout wrestler Henry Cejudo also shared words of encouragement with Nickal.
Today, former UFC Heavyweight, Brendan Schaub — now an “insider” podcaster believes Nickal must lean on his elite wrestling to sustain a successful UFC career.
“There aren’t enough hours in the day for where Bo’s striking is at to get to an elite level. There just aren’t,” Schaub said on his podcast. “Bo is an elite athlete, but that’s how hard striking is. Striking in MMA takes a long time to get comfortable with and to execute a game plan, and he’s just not there. It doesn’t matter who his coaches are—it’s never happening. Never happening!”
“So, today, his coaches should say, ‘Bo, if you’re going to win and have a career in the UFC, you’ve got to dominate. So, what are we going to work on? Your wrestling, ground-and-pound, and submissions. Forget your striking. We’re going to do just enough so you don’t look like a moron.’ But if they say, ‘Schaub, take it easy, his striking is really good in the gym, we’re not focused on wrestling,’ I’ll tell you, he won’t last long,” Schaub added.
“When he’s forced to strike, you guys know I love Bo, but I’ve seen better guys on the regional scene, on Contender Series. It’s just not there. That’s okay!” Schaub concluded. “If this were a video game, his striking is a 1 and his wrestling is a 10. Why the f—k are we trying to win with the 1?”
There is no doubt Nickal will rebound from this disappointing loss and continue to evolve as a fighter, with only eight professional fights under his belt. The question is, how?
