Bo Nickal is properly conscious of UFC Des Moines opponent Reinier de Ridder’s promise he’ll drive the Penn State wrestling legend to grapple with him.
Nickal will get his largest take a look at up to now towards the previous ONE Championship two-division titleholder within the co-main occasion of UFC Des Moines this Saturday. Whereas Nickal is actually trying ahead to grappling exchanges with de Ridder, the undefeated blended martial artist thinks there’s extra to it than what de Ridder advised MMA Preventing — particularly the remark that no one “needs to see us strike.”
“I believe he’s saying that as a result of he doesn’t wish to get knocked out,” Nickal advised MMA Preventing. That’s form of my view of it. I believe he is aware of that I’m a greater striker than him, that I hit laborious, and, to not say he doesn’t have abilities as a result of he completely does, and there’s a number of issues that he does rather well on the toes, however I believe I’ve a bonus there.
“Wherever the struggle goes, I’ll be able to compete, and if it goes to the bottom, which, you understand, I might hope it does as a result of I believe we’re each very proficient there, that we’ll get to see some thrilling scrambles. However like I mentioned, no matter the place it goes, I’ll be ready.”
Ever since Nickal received into the UFC, the MMA neighborhood has regarded to his shiny future: Matchups with big-named divisional opponents, combating for the title, and changing into a serious face at middleweight.
As he prepares to face the ranked de Ridder — who’s unbeaten within the octagon since signing with the UFC — Nickal isn’t occupied with any of these future ideas. He’s solely targeted on getting his hand raised at UFC Des Moines, regardless of how Nickal must go about it.
“I anticipate to win this struggle,” Nickal defined. I don’t know if it’ll be a end or if it’ll be a choice. Whatever the consequence, I’m targeted on giving one hundred pc effort from the primary bell to the final, and actually, that’s all I can management, proper?
“I can’t management my opponent. I can’t management the rest. I can’t management the gang, can’t management the ref. All I can management is me. So the one factor I can go do is come to this chance with a number of gratitude and most effort.”
