For his fifth promotional appearance, Bo Nickal will meet the Dutchman Reinier de Ridder at UFC Fight Night 256, on May 3rd. This fight might just be the litmus test for Nickal’s hype, considering how dangerous de Ridder is. ‘The Dutch Knight’ is no walk in the part considering he was two-weight champion at ONE Championship. What does Nickal think of de Ridder as an opponent? Well, the NCAA Division-1 wrestler claimed that he asked for de Ridder as his next opponent. On the flip side, what does the Dutchman think of his American opponent?

Ridder was visibly disappointed with the way Nickal went about his business against Paul Craig at UFC 309. Despite being a world-class grappler, the 29-year-old looked hesitant to take down his challenger. Although he won the via decision, the crowd in attendance was underwhelmed by his performance, and even chanted ‘overrated’ for failing to finish ‘Bear Jew’. ‘The Dutch Knight’ wants Nickal to take the fight to the ground and use his wrestling skills when they meet in the Octagon. During a conversation with MMA Junkie, de Ridder pointed out how he will go about his business in his upcoming fight.

He said, “Ya I think my wrestling is pretty decent as well. And I really want to make him wrestle this time. Last fight, he was just sticking and moving. Throwing that wild overhand of his and trying to make sure he didn’t wrestle at all. But let’s make it a wrestling match this time. See if we can get him to shoot a couple of times. Let’s see if I can get his neck.” 

Ridder is a nightmare matchup for anyone who steps inside the Octagon with him. Known for dragging his opponents into deep waters, the former two-division ONE Championship has sent a strong message to the fighters in the UFC’s middleweight division. ‘The Dutch Knight’ has secured back-to-back submission victories over Gerald Meerschaert and Kevin Holland.

With his relentless grappling and dominant performances the match-up promises to be a real test for Nickal. Former fighters like Jorge Masvidal and Daniel Cormier have come forward and shared their tips for the 29-year-old. According to ‘DC’, Nickal should focus on taking his opponent down really early. In a conversation on his Good Guy/ Bad Guy podcast said, “He needs to take him down early because you don’t want to end up like Ankalaev,”. 

Jorge Masvidal, on the other hand, feels the fight will be “easy money” for the undefeated fighter. But what does Nickal feel about the clash? As mentioned at the start of this piece, he seems he is excited to prove himself against an opponent like de Ridder.

Bo Nickal was the one who wanted a fight with Reinier de Ridder

For Nickal, the fight in the co-main event of UFC Des Moines represents the perfect chance to prove himself against elite competition. Many believe that Nickal has yet to face a legitimate threat in his career who can truly challenge his skill sets. Now with de Ridder announced as his next opponent all such doubts will be put to rest. Adding to the intrigue, the rising star has revealed that he personally requested this matchup.

The 29-year-old was eager to challenge himself against one of the most dangerous grapplers in the sport. While speaking with Ariel Helwani, the Penn State wrestler pointed out why he chose the former ONE champion as his next opponent.

He said, “This is a matchup that I asked for. And I feel like it’s a matchup that’s exciting for a lot of reasons. He’s had a lot of success in other organizations and success in the UFC, and it’s a natural step up for me. I want to keep fighting better and better guys. This is a guy who has a proven track record and many, many finishes.” 

Nickal didn’t hold back when addressing his opponent, claiming that he wasn’t convinced Reinier de Ridder actually wanted this fight. It’s a bold statement from the multiple-time NCAA champion, especially considering de Ridder’s reputation for taking on all challengers. Who do you think will win the fight between the two? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.