{"id":50177,"date":"2025-05-08T15:20:00","date_gmt":"2025-05-08T14:20:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/theplayoffs.news\/en\/?p=50177"},"modified":"2025-05-08T15:20:22","modified_gmt":"2025-05-08T14:20:22","slug":"it-was-satisfying-to-watch-dricus-du-plessis-gives-his-unfiltered-take-on-bo-nickals-first-loss","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theplayoffs.news\/en\/it-was-satisfying-to-watch-dricus-du-plessis-gives-his-unfiltered-take-on-bo-nickals-first-loss\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cIt Was Satisfying To Watch\u201d – Dricus du Plessis Gives His Unfiltered Take On Bo Nickal\u2019s First Loss"},"content":{"rendered":"

UFC<\/a> middleweight champion Dricus du Plessis has built his career on being both a fearsome competitor and a straight shooter when it comes to sharing his thoughts. The South African fighter has never been one to mince words, especially when he feels someone hasn’t earned their place at the table.<\/p>

Bo Nickal entered the UFC with high expectations. A three-time NCAA wrestling champion with an Olympic-level pedigree, Nickal was touted as the next big thing in the middleweight division. His early UFC fights seemed to confirm the hype, as he steamrolled through his first few opponents. But the fighting world is unforgiving, and last weekend at UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs Figueiredo, Nickal’s undefeated record came crashing down when Reinier de Ridder handed him a second-round TKO loss. The fall from grace was swift, and du Plessis didn’t waste time sharing his thoughts on the matter.<\/p>

Also Read: “Even if I Lose Again” – Bo Nickal Fires Back At ‘Fraud Check’ Claims After First UFC Loss<\/a><\/p>

Dricus du Plessis Calls Out Nickal’s One-Dimensional Approach<\/h2>

During a recent appearance on The Sias du Plessis Show<\/strong>, the middleweight champion didn’t hold back when discussing Nickal’s first professional loss. The champion pointed out what many MMA experts have long understood: elite wrestling alone doesn’t make a complete fighter.<\/p>

“What I do have a problem with was [Nickal] was talking about people who has done what he has never done. He became a three-time NCAA champion if I’m not mistaken. Well, I mean, this is not wrestling… and he found out the hard way. I think he thought he was going to walk through [de Ridder]… Once he had him down, what was he going to do? Just hold him down… His wrestling is incredible, but once again, we are not wrestlers, we are MMA fighters.”<\/em><\/strong><\/p>

\n