Bo Nickal’s loss to Reinier de Ridder has split the MMA world entirely.
De Ridder stopped Nickal at UFC Des Moines this past weekend, handing the American his first-career defeat against the odds.
De Ridder (20-2) caught Nickal with vicious kneesGetty In what turned out to be a dominant performance from the DutchmanGettyNickal, 29, has subsequently been on the receiving end of a never-ending supply of online hate, with many fans revelling in his defeat.
British MMA legend Michael Bisping believes the reaction has gotten out of control.
However, UFC middleweight champion Dricus Du Plessis, who rules Nickal’s division, had a slightly different view on the subject.
Bisping explained on his podcast, alongside ex-UFC fighter Paul Felder: “Bo Nickal is getting slaughtered online. He’s getting so much sh**.
“We both met Bo Nickal. He’s a really nice guy, he’s respectful. Of course, he was confident and rightly so, given his wrestling credentials and what he has accomplished in one of the toughest sports on the planet.”
Nickal is a three-time NCAA Division I national champion, having represented the US in freestyle wrestling at several world and national championships.
“When you put yourself out there and you say you’re going to do this, that, and the other,” Bisping added.
“‘I’d be a favorite against Khamzat [Chimaev],’ OK, you’re allowed a little bit of backlash, but holy s***, holy s*** people are coming after him so hard.
“He’s come through the UFC. He was undefeated, and I think some of the backlash is because people perceive that he was getting ‘Dana White privilege.’
“But I disagree. He went on the Contender (Series), they didn’t give him a contract because it was too early in his career, he had to come back twice, and went undefeated.
Bisping said Nickal will learn from his defeat to de Ridder Nickal’s TKO defeat was the first of his professional careerGetty De Ridder will be eyeing up a top 10 middleweight following his emphatic winGetty“This (de Ridder) matchup was a really bad matchup…he’s learned, he’s just so inexperienced.
“Also, when you look at the size of them both, Reinier de Ridder is gigantic. He’s 6’4”. I heard it on good authority…
“They called out Reinier de Ridder. They were offered another matchup, but [they said], ‘We want [de Ridder].’ It’s like, bro, the guy’s now 20-2 with world-class jiu-jitsu. You might have s*** the bed on that one.”
De Ridder was indeed evidently the bigger man when the pair came to blows in Iowa, but Nickal found brief success on the canvas early on.
However, he quickly realised that de Ridder was a serious threat when the Dutchman escaped in the clinch and ended up on top after being dragged to the ground.
From then onwards, de Ridder oozed confidence and found his rhythm as Nickal’s right ear was busted open.
UFC middleweight champion said Nickal was ‘broken mentally’Getty He said the American learned the hard way against de RiddergettyIn round two, he came out swinging with some violent knees and several damaging punches to the head.
It wasn’t long before Nickal was caught with a nasty knee to the head that sent him straight to one knee and his zero was no longer.
South African Du Plessis was a little more in line with the majority with his response to Nickal’s defeat.
“I have no problem with Bo Nickal’s hype,” he said. “But I do have a problem with is how he was talking about people who have done what he has never done.
“This is not wrestling, my good man, and he found out the hard way. I think he thought he was going to walk through Reinier (de Ridder)…
“The only thing that saves him in every fight is his wrestling, and now that one thing is not working for him.
“Now your takedowns are getting stuffed, and you’re getting taken down because the other guy has more in his arsenal, and [Nickal’s] striking is terrible…
“Humble pie does wonderful things for a man and I think he got served full pies.
“It was satisfying to watch because you can’t just disrespect people who’ve done what you wish you could do. For this, he had this aura of, ‘I am champion, I can outwrestle anyone.’
“In my honest opinion, that knee – it was a proper knee – [but] Bo Nickal gave up. Bo Nickal was broken mentally. That’s why he took a knee.”
De Ridder will now be eyeing up a shot at a top 10 middleweight, with reports suggesting a fight with former champ and No. 5 at 185lbs Robert Whittaker is already in the works.
Nickal, meanwhile, will no doubt take a few months away from the sport in the hope of coming back stronger.
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