Reinier De Ridder reveals what he told Bo Nickal in classy message after UFC fight
De Ridder handed the American star his first career loss on Saturday night as the two middleweight contenders came face-to-face in Des Moines
UFC star Reinier De Ridder has revealed exactly what he said to Bo Nickal following their showdown on Saturday night.
The top middleweight contenders went head-to-head in Des Moines at UFC on ESPN 67 - which was topped by a thrilling bantamweight bout between Cory Sandhagen and ex-flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo. Despite De Ridder's seasoned record, the former ONE world champion wasn't favoured to win against Nickal.
However, 'The Dutch Knight' took control of the fight and dealt Nickal his first professional defeat with a second-round knockout. While critics were quick to pounce on Nickal's performance in the octagon, De Ridder isn't convinced that the three-time National Champion wrestler was truly outclassed.
Showing real sportsmanship, De Ridder didn't hesitate to console his American opponent in the cage. The words exchanged weren't captured on film, but the Dutch fighter disclosed the details during a backstage interview post-fight.
"It feels pretty good, given all the hype around Bo Nickal, to be the one to take the O," he expressed. "I said it to him after the fight: 'I'm happy I had to fight you now and not in three years,' because he's going to be a beast, man. He's going to be a monster."
After clinching another victory in the UFC, De Ridder is on course for a shot at the top contenders in the middleweight division, setting his sights on UFC gold. On the flip side, Nickal is heading straight back to the drawing board after a crushing defeat in the cage.
Despite the setback, the 29-year-old remains optimistic. He took to Instagram to share his thoughts: "Grateful for the highs and lows. I'll be back." So impressed is De Ridder with Nickal's potential that he's keen to join forces for training.
Speaking with MMA Fighting, the 34-year-old Dutch star expressed his eagerness on Monday: "I would really like to work with this guy. I would really like to work with him. Because of the skill set he brings, it would be awesome to train together. I don't really know if me being a Kill Cliff guy now and him being [American Top Team] is going to work out, but maybe we can do it low-key and not tell anybody."
De Ridder predicts a formidable comeback for Nickal after this recent defeat. He feels fortunate to have faced him now rather than later, stating: "I'm just happy I got a chance to fight him now and not in three years," and continued with high praise for Nickal: "In three years, he's going to be a f****** killer. He's going to run through everybody."
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