Chael Sonnen recently offered his analysis on the collapse of hype surrounding Bo Nickal following Nickal’s latest loss in mixed martial arts. Bo Nickal recently suffered his first professional MMA loss. A standout wrestler at Penn State, he was a three-time NCAA Division I national champion and 2019 Dan Hodge Trophy winner, recognized as one of the most dominant collegiate wrestlers of his era.
After transitioning to MMA in 2022, Nickal quickly made an impact, winning his first seven professional fights, including four in the UFC, mostly by first-round finishes. His rapid rise set high expectations, but at UFC on ESPN 67 in May 2025, Nickal lost by knockout to former ONE champion Reinier de Ridder, marking his first professional defeat.