Bo Nickal gets UFC-ranked opponent for Des Moines showdown
Bo Nickal is taking a step up to fight ranked competition.
At the promotion's UFC Fight Night event May 3 at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa, Nickal (7-0 MMA, 4-0 UFC) will take on former ONE Championship champion Reinier de Ridder (19-2 MMA, 2-0 UFC) in a three-round middleweight bout.
The UFC made the middleweight bout official early Friday after an initial report by Full Send MMA.
Nickal, 29, has skyrocketed up the divisional ladder since crossing over from the world of collegiate wrestling. The 2019 Dan Hodge Trophy winner, Nickal entered MMA with a decorated resume and aims to one day add UFC gold to his list of accomplishments.
After two wins on Dana White's Contender Series in 2023, Nickal signed with the promotion. Finishes over Jamie Pickett, Val Woodburn, and Cody Brundage led him to a UFC 300 showdown vs. Paul Craig. While he won the fight fairly lopsidedly, Nickal was criticized by some fans for the low entertainment value of the bout.
De Ridder, 34, established himself as one of ONE Championship's biggest stars, capturing light heavyweight and heavyweight gold over the span of his nine-fight stint for the organization.
After he lost both titles to Anatoly Malykhin, de Ridder exited the promotion, citing inactivity and mistreatment. After a win for UAE Warriors, de Ridder signed with the UFC in 2024. He's since picked up back-to-back submission wins over Gerald Meerschaert and Kevin Holland.
With the addition, the UFC Fight Night lineup for May 3 includes:
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