Bo Nickal, once hailed as one of the most promising prospects in the UFC middleweight division, faced a significant setback at UFC Des Moines on May 3, 2025. In the co-main event, Nickal suffered his first professional loss to Reinier de Ridder, a former two-division ONE Championship titleholder. De Ridder secured a second-round TKO victory, delivering a devastating knee strike to Nickal’s liver that ended the bout and handed Nickal his first career defeat

Prior to this loss, Nickal had been undefeated in his MMA career, boasting a 7-0 record with six of those wins coming by knockout or submission. However, the fight against de Ridder exposed areas where Nickal still needs improvement, particularly in striking and overall fight strategy .

In the aftermath of the defeat, Nickal acknowledged the loss and expressed his commitment to learning from the experience. He stated, “Going in, I’m just trying to win the fight. He was overall more well-rounded, more skilled, more experienced than me,” admitting that he was “exposed” during the bout . Nickal also hinted at the possibility of taking a brief hiatus from competition to regroup and develop his skills further.

Support for Nickal has come from various quarters. UFC legend Michael Bisping defended Nickal, emphasizing that the backlash against him was excessive and that he had earned his UFC spot legitimately. Bisping acknowledged that Nickal’s team made a strategic error in choosing de Ridder as an opponent but reiterated that Nickal’s potential remains intact . Similarly, de Ridder himself expressed confidence in Nickal’s future, predicting that within six months, Nickal would make significant progress and dominate many of his opponents in the Octagon .

Looking ahead, Nickal’s next steps will be crucial in determining his trajectory in the UFC. While some have suggested that he should focus solely on dominating MMA grappling, others believe that a more well-rounded skill set is essential for success at the highest level . Regardless of the path he chooses, Nickal’s resilience and determination will be key factors in his ability to bounce back from this setback and continue his ascent in the middleweight division.