“Bo is phenomenal… He’s got such a unique style… He’s already so perfectly collected in his wrestling background and his transition wrestling, too.” Two-time NCAA champion Gable Steveson lauded three-time NCAA champion Bo Nickal—in a true ‘talent recognizes talent’ moment. The Rifle native has been making waves in the UFC with his elite wrestling, earning admiration not just from MMA veterans but even from notable figures like former U.S. President Donald Trump.

The 7-0 Penn State Alum was seen as the future of the 185lbs division. However, his last outing at UFC 309 against Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu specialist Paul Craig at MSG left much to be desired. Despite securing the victory, critics heavily panned the fight, and the crowd booed both fighters’ cautious approach. Now, after five months away, Nickal is set to return on 3 May 2025, at UFC Des Moines inside the Wells Fargo Arena. This is where he faces arguably his toughest test yet—former ONE Championship 2-division champion Reinier de Ridder.

As the fight approaches, speculation about the matchup has been heating up. Recently, de Ridder sat down with MMA Fighting SBN, where he was asked about his upcoming middleweight clash with Bo Nickal. The interviewer got straight to the point: “Do you think he [Bo Nickal] will grapple? I guess that’s what I’m getting at—do you think he’ll actually try to take you down?” Drawing from his extensive grappling experience, ‘RDR’ confidently dismissed the idea.

“I don’t think so,” de Ridder said confidently, addressing the question about whether Nickal would engage in grappling during their upcoming fight. He pointed to the Rifle native’s performance in his previous bout against Craig, suggesting Nickal’s hesitancy on the ground. “As we saw in the Paul Craig fight, I think he’s pretty scared of jiu-jitsu on the floor. He’s pretty scared of getting caught with something, so I think I need to make him wrestle. I need to get close, apply pressure, hit him a few times, and I think he’ll definitely start shooting.”

At 34 years old, Reinier de Ridder made a name for himself in the Asia-based ONE Championship promotion over six years. He debuted in the UFC last year at Fight Night 247 against Gerald Meerschaert and followed that up with a fight against Kevin Holland at UFC 311 earlier this year. ‘RDR’ has proven himself at the highest competitive level.

Now, facing a former NCAA champion in Bo Nickal, who is also a blue belt in BJJ, the matchup promises to be an exciting clash between a lifelong BJJ expert and a freestyle/folkstyle wrestling prodigy inside the Octagon.

Bo Nickal shared insights into his upcoming fight with Reinier de Ridder

After defeating notable opponents like Paul Craig and Cody Brundage, 29-year-old Bo Nickal is now focused on testing himself against Reinier de Ridder, undeterred by the opinions surrounding the matchup. With an impressive 19-2 record and a wealth of experience in top-tier MMA promotions, ‘RDR’ represents the challenge the Colorado export is looking for. In a recent interview with Ariel Helwani, Nickal shared the reasoning behind selecting the Dutch fighter as his next opponent, comparing him to Paul Craig because of his veteran experience and skill set.

“This is a matchup I requested because it’s exciting for many reasons,” Bo Nickal explained. “He’s had success in other organizations and in the UFC, and it feels like a natural progression for me. I want to continue fighting tougher opponents. Some fighters want to face me, and many others don’t. It’s a fight similar to the Paul Craig matchup, where he has a strong jiu-jitsu background. But with de Ridder on a win streak and bringing a different striking style to the table, it makes for an intriguing fight.”

What’s your take on the upcoming middleweight clash between Reinier de Ridder and Bo Nickal? Do you think Nickal will overcome this difficult test against de Ridder, whose BJJ expertise and experience in the global MMA scene are undeniable? Share your thoughts below.