Bo Nickal admits he got ‘exposed’ in devastating UFC loss to Reinier de Ridder

UFC middleweight prospect Bo Nickal got his first taste of defeat in MMA last Saturday, suffering a devastating TKO loss to Reinier De Ridder. He is not shying away from the experience.

Nickal met De Ridder in the co-main event of the UFC’s debut in Des Moines, Iowa. It was the wrestling standout’s chance to improve to 8-0 as a pro and vault into the middleweight rankings, but it was not meant to be. Instead, Nickal was dominated by De Ridder in round one, and finished by a knee to the body in round two.

Nickal’s initial reaction to the loss was definitely short and sweet. On Tuesday, however, the prospect appeared on The Ariel Helwani Show, and went into greater detail on the experience.

Bo Nickal on his loss to Reinier de Ridder:

“He was overall just more well rounded, more skilled and more experienced than me. That’s what it comes down to, he was a better fighter…

There’s still so much room to improve… that’s emphasized even more having been exposed like… pic.twitter.com/c82BAWsJZg

— Championship Rounds (@ChampRDS) May 6, 2025

“He’s good everywhere,” Nickal said. “He has many knockout finishes, many submissions. He’s got decent wrestling. Going in, I’m just trying to win the fight.

“He was overall just more well-rounded, more skilled and more experienced than me,” he added. “That’s what it comes down to. He was a better fighter.”

Interestingly, Nickal went on to admit he was “exposed” by the loss, but vowed to grow from the experience.

“There’s still so much room to improve,” he said. “That’s emphasized even more having been exposed like that.”

Can Bo Nickal bounce back after first UFC loss?

Prior to losing to De Ridder, Nickal was 4-0 in the UFC. His biggest win occurred in his last fight before meeting De Ridder, when he defeated former light heavyweight contender Paul Craig by decision. That was the lone fight of his pro career that didn’t end by finish. While his loss to De Ridder was pretty brutal, and indicative of his inexperience, it’s certainly possible he can get back on track with the right mindset.

De Ridder, meanwhile, is now 3-0 in the UFC, with three finishes, having scored submissions over Gerald Meerschaert and Kevin Holland in his first two fights. He is a former two-division champ in ONE Championship, and is most likely looking at a top-10 opponent next.