Bo Nickal
Vitals
The Read
Nickal is one of the most decorated wrestlers ever to enter the UFC — a three-time NCAA Division I champion at Penn State whose takedowns and top control are the foundation of his game. Seven of his eight wins are finishes, split between submissions off his grappling (four, mostly chokes from dominant position) and knockouts (three), and he has shown legitimate one-shot power, most recently a head-kick KO of Rodolfo Vieira at UFC 322. The open question has always been his striking and durability against opponents who can keep the fight standing and make him uncomfortable.
That question was answered violently at UFC Des Moines in May 2025, when Reinier de Ridder handed Nickal his first pro loss — a second-round body-knee TKO that exposed a thin striking base and a suspect gas tank once he could not impose his wrestling early. The Vieira head-kick rebound in November 2025 restored some momentum but came against a fading, grappling-first opponent. Against Kyle Daukaus (17-4), a durable, BJJ-heavy gatekeeper riding a two-fight streak, the path is familiar: Nickal must get the fight to the mat and finish before deep waters, because if Daukaus survives early and forces a striking battle, Nickal's chin and cardio are again the variables.
Next Fight
Record
Tap any fight for the breakdown.
Win
vs Rodolfo VieiraKO (head kick) · R3 4:44
UFC 322
15 Nov 2025
15 Nov 2025
After a slow, grappling-heavy bout that drew boos at Madison Square Garden, Nickal landed a perfectly timed left high kick in the third round that dropped Vieira cold, prompting an immediate stoppage. The knockout earned a Performance of the Night bonus and sent Vieira to the hospital.
Key moments
- Left high kick to the neck/head ended it instantly in Round 3
- Referee Dan Miragliotta waved it off at 4:44 of the final round
- Earned a $50,000 Performance of the Night bonus
- Nickal climbed the cage and flipped off the booing NYC crowd post-fight
Loss
vs Reinier de RidderTKO (knee to body) · R2 1:53
UFC Fight Night: Sandhagen vs Figueiredo
3 May 2025
3 May 2025
In a major upset, de Ridder out-struck Nickal and dropped him with a vicious second-round knee to the liver, forcing the stoppage and handing Nickal his first professional defeat. The loss exposed Nickal's striking and durability when unable to impose his wrestling.
Key moments
- de Ridder controlled the striking exchanges and pressured throughout
- A knee to the liver folded Nickal on the break early in Round 2
- Stoppage came at 1:53 of the second round
- First loss of Nickal's pro career; de Ridder earned a $50K bonus
Win
vs Paul CraigDecision (unanimous) · R3
UFC 309
16 Nov 2024
16 Nov 2024
Nickal controlled Craig with his wrestling and top position across three rounds to take a clear unanimous decision — the first decision win of his pro career. He neutralized Craig's dangerous submission game by dictating where the fight took place.
Key moments
- First fight of Nickal's career to reach the judges' scorecards
- Used takedowns and top control to negate Craig's guard threats
- Unanimous decision across all three rounds
- Answered durability questions by going 15 minutes for the first time
Win
vs Cody BrundageSubmission (rear-naked choke) · R2 3:38
UFC 300
13 Apr 2024
13 Apr 2024
On the UFC 300 card, Nickal took Brundage down, advanced position and locked up a rear-naked choke in the second round for the finish. It extended his perfect record at the time and showcased his grappling chain.
Key moments
- Took the back after dominant grappling exchanges
- Secured a rear-naked choke for the tap at 3:38 of Round 2
- Fought on the marquee UFC 300 card
- Fourth submission win of his pro career
Win
vs Val WoodburnTKO (punches) · R1 0:38
UFC 290
8 Jul 2023
8 Jul 2023
Nickal needed just 38 seconds, dropping Woodburn with strikes and finishing with ground-and-pound for a first-round TKO. The quick stoppage continued his run of dominant early finishes.
Key moments
- Dropped Woodburn early with clean striking
- Finished with follow-up ground-and-pound
- First-round TKO at just 0:38
- Maintained his finish-heavy unbeaten run at the time
Signature Finishes
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