According to UFC veteran Matt Brown, Bo Nickal`s recent loss to Reinier de Ridder highlights areas for growth, but doesn`t invalidate the significant attention and hype he has received as a prospect.
Brown expressed frustration with the post-fight commentary surrounding Nickal`s first professional defeat. Competing at UFC Des Moines, Nickal was stopped by a body shot in the second round by the more seasoned de Ridder, ending Nickal`s perfect 7-0 start.
“It truly frustrated and almost angered me to hear everyone calling it a `fraud check`,” Brown stated on `The Fighter vs. The Writer` podcast. “I`m sure you`ve seen this. I just think, get the f*ck out of here with that.”
“Credit must be given: de Ridder looked amazing. He performed excellently, exactly as a two-division world champion from ONE Championship should. He clearly has a bright future. Bo Nickal, on the other hand, looked like someone facing a champion he wasn`t yet prepared for. This is a drawback of a fighter with limited experience like Nickal entering the UFC and facing tough competition. While Nickal had mostly winnable fights previously, against de Ridder, his areas for improvement became evident. He is absolutely not a fraud. He will be a top-five fighter in the future, I`m highly confident.”
Brown argued that criticizing Nickal`s performance overlooks de Ridder`s effective strategy and execution that led to the win.
Although primarily known for grappling, de Ridder has significantly developed his striking. He effectively utilized body shots against Nickal throughout the bout. This striking improvement proved decisive when de Ridder landed a knee to the body in the second round, stopping the fight and ending the undefeated record of the three-time NCAA wrestling champion.
“Reinier de Ridder is a truly great fighter,” Brown stated. “He possessed the advantage of experience and understanding of the MMA fight game. Bo Nickal is still acquiring this knowledge. While Nickal is an exceptional wrestler — likely winning a wrestling match by technical fall or pin quickly — de Ridder`s well-rounded skillset was key. His ability to seamlessly transition between different aspects of MMA and manage various positions was clearly demonstrated.”
“In contrast, if you want to use terms like `exposed` for Bo Nickal, what it truly exposed is that he remains a rookie,” Brown continued. “He is still new to this sport and has significant development ahead.”
Some might argue that Nickal`s loss is partly due to his own actions, specifically making ambitious claims about future opponents and achievements before establishing himself against top-level competition.
Immediately following the fight, previous statements from Nickal resurfaced, such as discussing a potential win over Khamzat Chimaev or suggesting de Ridder would grapple solely to avoid being knocked out. These quotes unfortunately seemed to backfire after the defeat.
However, Brown suggested that Nickal was largely responding to the high expectations placed upon him since transitioning from wrestling to MMA. Furthermore, Brown believes losing to de Ridder now could be more beneficial for Nickal`s long-term development than continuing to accumulate wins against less challenging opponents.
“Regarding Bo Nickal, dismiss the `fraud check` nonsense,” Brown reiterated his stance. “Forget the talk about him being exposed, overrated, or his hype train ending. If Bo Nickal commits himself, he will return and reach the top five.”
“That kind of talk is genuinely frustrating,” Brown added, suggesting much of it is driven by a desire for attention or engagement. “But the reality is, the hype around Bo Nickal is warranted, and I believe he will live up to it if he perseveres. Frankly, this loss might be the best thing for him… Perhaps he got caught up in the hype himself, maybe he wasn`t pushing himself hard enough or putting himself in challenging sparring situations often enough. This defeat could ultimately be the most beneficial outcome.”
