Bo Nickal‘s rise has all the characteristics of a wrestling prodigy turned MMA sensation. He appeared to be a future title contender in the making, undefeated, confident, and already calling out names like Khamzat Chimaev before breaking into the top ten. So, when UFC Des Moines brought him in as the co-main event, fans expected him to deliver another strong performance. Instead, the anticipation came crashing down, hard. And Team Khabib’s Javier Mendez, who once praised Nickal’s ability, is now sending a totally different message.

Mendez, speaking on the Javier & Mo Show, stated that he did not see the upset coming. “I didn’t realize that he (Reinier de Ridder) was a ONE FC champ too. I didn’t know anything about him—I just knew he was super, super confident,” he admitted. The outcome—a second-round TKO loss for Nickal following a crushing knee to the body—was more than simply a stain on the young fighter’s record.

It was, as Mendez describes it, “a wake-up call.” And, while he still believes in Nickal’s abilities, he recognizes that the path to success has become much more difficult. “Maybe this was a wake-up call for Bo Nickal, and maybe he can rebound. Let’s see,” Mendez continued. “I like Bo Nickal. I wanted to see him rise to the cream of the crop and then throw a great fight with someone among the top guys. I was hoping to see him in a title fight—either he wins the title or loses it, but in a great fashion. For me, it didn’t happen.”

That kind of honesty, especially from someone who formerly considered Nickal a potential threat to Khamzat Chimaev, speaks volumes. Just months ago, the coach stated that the 29-year-old “would be a good candidate” to face Chimaev—eventually. But not yet. And now, the gap appears to have become even wider.

Nickal, for his part, has taken the loss on his chin. Posting on Instagram with a brief but powerful message: “Grateful for the highs and lows. I’ll be back.” —The 29-year-old accepted the situation with humility. Prior to this, he had a perfect 7-0 record, defeating all of his opponents. His popularity was not created; it was earned. But Reinier de Ridder, the former ONE two-division champion, didn’t buy it.

So, make no mistake: Nickal’s journey is far from over. If anything, that could be the reset button he needed. There is still a belief in his abilities. Mendez has not written him off. And, most importantly, Nickal still wants to climb. However, in order to accomplish so, he must start over.

Because, at this level, confidence is insufficient, and hype does not keep you standing when the knees start flying. Till the time he earns back a win, he has become a part of a conversation where there’s nothing but pity for him, from the likes of Jack Hermansson.

UFC 317 star Jack Hermansson feels sorry for Bo Nickal

As the dust settles after UFC Des Moines, Bo Nickal continues to face criticism. Despite the noise, some voices offered empathy—even if they were brutally honest. One of those voices belonged to Jack Hermansson, a perennial middleweight contender known for breaking hype trains rather than chasing them.

In preparation for his UFC 317 fight, Hermansson didn’t hesitate to comment on Nickal’s defeat, admitting what many are now admitting: Reinier de Ridder may have been too much, too soon. ‘The Joker’ has experience dealing with rising stars, having demolished Joe Pyfer with calm precision just a few months back.

But this was different. In a recent interview, Hermansson commented on Nickal’s fight against de Ridder, calling it a horrible stylistic setup masquerading as a winnable bout. “I feel sorry for him,” he said, suggesting that the UFC may have underestimated de Ridder’s abilities. Compared to Nickal’s prior opponent, Paul Craig, de Ridder brought a new level of calm and chaos—grappling without panic and striking without hesitation.

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‘The Joker saw this as the tipping point. “De Ridder doesn’t care if you take him down,” he explained. “He could just purely focus on his stand-up.” That’s exactly what occurred. While Nickal was busy trying to build up a wrestling clinic, de Ridder was waiting for the right opportunity to collapse the game plan—one knee at a time.

As Hermansson prepares for another fight at UFC 317, his words serve as a subtle reminder that the cage does not care about expectations. And if you are not prepared, someone like de Ridder will show you why. What do you think? Did the UFC actually underestimate RDR? Let us know in the comments.