Reinier de Ridder was well aware of Bo Nickal`s vaunted wrestling pedigree in the weeks leading up to their clash at UFC Des Moines. However, that knowledge didn`t deter him from challenging the three-time NCAA champion in every aspect of mixed martial arts when they met in the co-main event.
From the outset, de Ridder actively engaged in the clinch multiple times and even executed a skillful reversal in the first round, ending up in a dominant top position over Nickal and seeking submissions. He continuously trapped Nickal in similar grappling scenarios during the second round until he spotted an opportunity to unleash a barrage of punishing knees to the body.
Despite the high praise Nickal received as a future champion with arguably the sport`s best wrestling, de Ridder never hesitated to test that specific part of his game during their fight, and it clearly yielded positive results.
“He might be a wrestling god,” de Ridder stated at the post-fight press conference, “but I believe this applies to everything in life, especially in fighting: focus on your strengths, what you do well. Don`t be distracted by what anyone else brings to the table.”
“It doesn`t matter what they bring,” he asserted. “My jiu-jitsu, my judo, my wrestling are so good, I can compete with anyone.”
Although he hadn`t reviewed the fight footage yet, de Ridder had a clear understanding of how he turned the tide by initially showcasing his grappling before surprising Nickal with his striking proficiency.
By the time the fight concluded, Nickal appeared visibly fatigued in his movements, a direct consequence of the sustained punishment de Ridder delivered while standing.
Commenting on his performance, de Ridder remarked, “It wasn`t too bad, was it? I landed some effective shots. There was a moment in the clinch where I created some space, used a whizzer to move his hips, and landed a knee in the first round. In the second round, I got to a dominant top position, but I was impressed by how well he defended from the bottom. It wasn`t easy to immediately control him or posture up because he moved quite well. I looked for a side choke briefly, but it wasn`t there.”
“I haven`t fully seen the finishing sequence myself, but I think I threw a right hook followed by a left knee. I hit him as he came in, and each time I hit his body, I felt his hands drop slightly. I sensed he was hurt, maybe moving to his right. Seeing he was hurt, I briefly stepped back, then stepped back in. He hit me with a 1-2, and I thought, `That`s not smart.` Then I hit his body again, I believe, and that`s how I finished him off because I felt he was already fading.”
While widely known for his suffocating submission game, de Ridder quickly reminds people of his origins in the Netherlands, a country renowned for producing formidable strikers throughout combat sports history.
“Deep down,” de Ridder stated, “I`m still Dutch.”
Regarding his next opponent, de Ridder made his intentions clear inside the octagon, requesting a bout against former UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland, who has been inactive since his early 2024 loss to Dricus du Plessis.
With no fight currently scheduled, Strickland is available, and de Ridder finds the prospect of adding that notable name to his record appealing, even if it means enduring some of Strickland`s infamous verbal attacks.
“I think I might regret calling him out a little bit later,” de Ridder joked about Strickland`s notorious trash talk. “As I said in the cage, I just fought the best American wrestler; now let`s see the best American striker.”
“I like Sean,” de Ridder added. “He`s genuinely funny, a real character. He`s a top-five guy, right? Stylistically, I think it`s an intriguing matchup. He has a very strong jab, and I don`t believe mine is bad either. I would really like that fight. I would truly like that fight.”
