Reinier de Ridder abruptly ended the significant anticipation surrounding Bo Nickal by securing a devastating knockout via a body shot in the dramatic co-main event at UFC Des Moines on Saturday.
Despite the matchup being framed as wrestling versus grappling, de Ridder demonstrated impressive striking, consistently landing hard knees on Nickal during clinch exchanges. This persistent attack culminated in a brutal knee strike directly to Nickal`s body as he attempted to retreat, causing him to collapse to the mat.
The referee quickly intervened, stopping the fight at 1:53 of the second round, marking the first defeat of Nickal`s professional career at de Ridder`s hands.
“I was just going to say, I’ve been spending so much time in the U.S., I wanted to see if I was still Dutch,” de Ridder quipped regarding the striking prowess that led to the knockout.
“I wanted to say this is the best American wrestling you have, right? Now give you the best American striker. [Sean] Strickland, you’re up, buddy! Let’s go.”
Even before his challenge, de Ridder had established dominant control, frustrating Nickal throughout various phases of the bout.
The fight began with Nickal throwing powerful punches, but de Ridder consistently threatened with takedowns as the middleweights jockeyed for position against the cage. Nickal managed a skillful reversal, taking the fight to the ground, but de Ridder successfully defended a guillotine choke attempt and ended up in top position.
De Ridder maintained control from this position for a period before Nickal eventually escaped and returned to his feet.
Entering the second round, de Ridder again initiated clinches and landed significant knees to the body. Nickal appeared slow in his movements, struggling to hold position, yet continued to swing powerful shots in an attempt to deter de Ridder.
His efforts were unsuccessful. De Ridder countered effectively with more precise strikes, including the critical knee strike straight up the middle that connected directly with Nickal`s abdomen. The decorated three-time NCAA wrestling champion immediately fell, prompting referee Mike Beltran to halt the contest and prevent further damage.
This victory was highly significant for de Ridder, improving his UFC record to 3-0 and, more importantly, giving him a win over one of the sport`s most hyped recent prospects.
With this performance, he is now in a strong position to choose his next opponent, especially given his immediate callout of former champion Sean Strickland.
