Reinier de Ridder completed Bo Nickal in spherical two of their co-main occasion slot on the UFC Struggle Evening in Des Moines, Iowa.
The previous ONE Championship Champ-Champ was capable of land a knee to the physique at hand Nickal his first loss in his profession. De Ridder will probably not see motion within the UFC rankings this week, so his callout of Sean Strickland is smart if he desires to fast-track to a UFC title.
“That is one of the best American wrestler you’ve got, proper? Now give me one of the best American Striker. Strickland, you’re up, buddy! Let’s go!”
That was the callout de Ridder made within the cage.
Whereas it might have made MMA (and UFC followers) scratch their heads. In the event you’re de Ridder, the callout is the suitable transfer. Strickland is presently ranked quantity two within the UFC, and with Khamzat Chimaev and present champion Dricus Du Plessis, anticipated to face one another, if he desires to be a contender, he has to face whoever is closest to the title.
When requested about Strickland afterward, de Ridder informed ESPN, “ I just like the man, he’s very humorous. He’s a top-five man, and I don’t assume he has a struggle scheduled. So, I believed that is one of the best American wrestler, let’s do one of the best American striker now.”
He appears conscious that the UFC and its followers discover Strickland marketable, and it might probably be one of the best publicity he can get proper now. He was an enormous underdog in opposition to Nickal, probably due to the fanbase not understanding a lot about him, despite the fact that he had extra expertise and held a number of titles in different organizations in MMA. Most of the top-ten fighters within the UFC rankings can be good for him, however it appears to be like like de Ridder is aware of what he’s doing.
Who would you prefer to see him struggle subsequent?
Try his full post-fight interview with ESPN right here:
