Dricus du Plessis closely observed the recent reality check delivered to highly touted prospect Bo Nickal.
Leading up to his bout at UFC Des Moines, Nickal had built a perfect 7-0 professional mixed martial arts record, supported by his elite background as a three-time NCAA wrestling champion. He entered the fight as the favorite against the more experienced Reinier de Ridder. However, it was de Ridder who emerged victorious via second-round knockout, scoring the finish after hurting Nickal with a knee to the body.
Du Plessis expressed no surprise at de Ridder being the one to hand Nickal his first career loss. He suggested that the satisfaction many felt regarding Nickal’s defeat was as much due to how he promoted himself beforehand as it was to his demeanor during the fight itself.
Speaking on The Sias du Plessis Show, du Plessis commented on Nickal`s relative inexperience, noting his limited number of fights in the UFC. “You need to be cautious about how you speak in this sport,” du Plessis advised. “Earn your position before you make bold statements. The opponents he had faced were not high-level competition. To talk that way, saying things like ‘the championship fight was poor,’ ‘these guys can`t wrestle,’ or dismissing wins as `not that impressive`… a dose of humble pie is incredibly beneficial for anyone. I think he received a full serving, maybe more. Honestly, it was gratifying to see, because you shouldn`t disrespect people who have achieved what you haven`t yet. He carried this air of already being a champion, believing no one could out-wrestle him, constantly emphasizing wrestling. But this is not wrestling.”
Du Plessis continued his assessment: “This is fighting. And in my honest opinion, that knee, which was a clean strike, led to Bo Nickal giving up. Bo Nickal was mentally broken. That`s why he took a knee. He wasn`t knocked unconscious by it; the knee landed effectively, yes, but if strikes like that are putting you down, you`re going to face much tougher challenges at the top echelon.”
During his rise through the ranks, Nickal was vocal about his capabilities, even suggesting he would easily handle top contenders like Khamzat Chimaev. Instead, he showed areas of inexperience in previous fights against Paul Craig and Cody Brundage, contests where Nickal, despite winning, was far from flawless.
Du Plessis believes Nickal learned a crucial lesson: success in MMA involves significantly more than being world-class in just one discipline.
“I have no problem with Bo Nickal getting hype,” du Plessis clarified. “What I take issue with is when he spoke negatively about individuals who have accomplished things he hasn`t yet done. He is a three-time NCAA champion, which is commendable, but as I said, this is not wrestling, my friend, and he discovered that the hard way. I think he expected to simply walk through Reinier. I thought Reinier executed a brilliant game plan. I really like Reinier de Ridder; I believe he`s going to be a significant challenge for many, a truly skilled fighter.”
De Ridder, a former two-division champion in ONE Championship, improved his UFC record to 3-0 with this upset victory. Du Plessis praised “The Dutch Knight” extensively, particularly noting that de Ridder proved to be the superior fighter not only on the feet but also in ground exchanges.
According to du Plessis, the moment Nickal couldn`t impose his dominant wrestling in the fight`s opening round, he sensed Nickal was in trouble.
“[De Ridder] reversed their position, got Bo down, and as soon as they returned to the feet, Bo Nickal looked visibly exhausted, like a fish out of water,” du Plessis described. “Because up until now, the only thing that saved him in every fight was his wrestling, and suddenly, that one crucial element wasn`t working for him. His takedowns were being stuffed, he was being taken down himself, and he faced an opponent with a much wider array of skills, because [Nickal’s] striking is quite poor. He isn`t a skilled grappler overall; he is specifically a skilled wrestler.”
