Rising star in the UFC middleweight division Bo Nickal suffered the first defeat of his professional mixed martial arts career on May 3, 2025. The former undefeated wrestler was stopped by Reinier de Ridder, a former two-division ONE Championship titleholder, who delivered a brutal knee strike in the second round to earn a TKO victory. Despite Nickal’s takedown attempts and ground control early in the fight, de Ridder’s pressure and striking ultimately overwhelmed him, ending Nickal’s perfect record at 7-1.
Bo Nickal
Following the fight, Josh Thomson, a former UFC contender and Strikeforce Lightweight Champion, commented on Nickal’s performance and future prospects.