De Ridder TKOs Nickal at UFC Fight Night Des Moines

Reinier de Ridder handed Bo Nickal the first loss of his MMA career with a TKO victory at 1:53 of the second round during UFC Fight Night in Des Moines. De Ridder, whose record is now 20-2, used a series of body shots and a decisive knee to the abdomen to finish Nickal, who drops to 7-1. The first round was competitive, with Nickal utilizing his wrestling, but de Ridder’s striking and pressure dominated the second. This win marks de Ridder’s third consecutive UFC victory and positions him for a potential bout against top-ranked middleweight Sean Strickland. De Ridder is also noted as a former two-division ONE champion. The crowd, initially booing de Ridder's entrance, celebrated his victory.