Dricus du Plessis was tuned in to the fact test Bo Nickal not too long ago acquired.
Heading into UFC Des Moines, Nickal had a spotless 7-0 professional MMA file and the pedigree of a three-time NCAA wrestling champion. He was a favourite over the extra skilled Reinier de Ridder, nevertheless it was de Ridder who emerged victorious by way of second-round knockout after hurting Nickal with a knee to the physique.
Du Plessis wasn’t shocked to see de Ridder hand Nickal his first loss and he believes the schadenfreude surrounding Nickal’s defeat has as a lot to do with how he constructed himself up as to how he carried out himself within the cage.
“With Bo, I imply he’s solely had 4 fights, I believe 5 fights within the UFC,” du Plessis stated on The Sias du Plessis Show. “You’ve bought to watch out the way you speak on this recreation. You begin speaking once you get there. The fellows that he fought, he’s fought nobodies. By way of with the ability to speak after which going and saying ‘the championship struggle was shit,’ ‘these guys can’t wrestle,’ ‘that’s not that spectacular, that win.’ Humble pie does fantastic issues for a person and I believe he bought served 4 pies, full pies. I’m simply saying, it was satisfying to look at as a result of you possibly can’t simply disrespect the individuals who’ve performed what you would like you can do and I believe for this, he had this aura of ‘I’m champion. No one can wrestle me. I can out-wrestle anyone’ and he was speaking about wrestling, wrestling, wrestling. This isn’t wrestling.
“That is combating and, in my trustworthy opinion, that knee, it was a correct knee, Bo Nickal gave up. Bo Nickal was damaged mentally. That’s why he took a knee. He wasn’t dropped by the knee, the knee caught him and it was knee, however in case you’re getting downed by knees like that, good luck on the prime as a result of the pictures are loads more durable.”
Throughout his stand up the ranks, Nickal spoke confidently of his skills and even recommended he’d make easy work of top contenders like Khamzat Chimaev. As a substitute, he confirmed his inexperience in matchups with Paul Craig and Cody Brundage, two wins by which Nickal was removed from excellent.
Du Plessis believes Nickal discovered there’s much more to this recreation than being one of many world’s greatest in a single self-discipline.
“I’ve no drawback with Bo Nickal’s hype,” du Plessis stated. “What I do have an issue with was he was speaking about individuals who have performed what he’s by no means performed. He turned a three-time NCAA champion if I’m not mistaken. Effectively, this isn’t wrestling, my good man, and he discovered that out the onerous approach.
“I believe he thought he was going to stroll by means of Reinier. I assumed Reinier had a ravishing recreation plan. What I like about Reinier de Ridder, I believe he’s going to be an issue, I believe he’s an excellent fighter.”
De Ridder, a former two-division ONE Championship titleholder, improved to 3-0 within the UFC with the upset win. Du Plessis was effusive in his reward for “The Dutch Knight,” particularly contemplating he proved to be the superior fighter on the bottom in addition to on the toes.
When Nickal didn’t dominate together with his wrestling within the opening spherical of the struggle, that’s when du Plessis knew he was in hassle.
“[De Ridder] switched round, bought Bo down, and Bo Nickal, as quickly as they bought up, he seemed gassed, he seemed like a fish out of water,” du Plessis stated. “As a result of now the one factor that saves him in each struggle is his wrestling and now that one factor is just not working for you. Now the takedown’s getting stuffed, now you’re getting taken down, and you’ve got a man with extra within the arsenal as a result of [Nickal’s] hanging is horrible. He’s not an awesome grappler, he’s an awesome wrestler.”
