Beau Nikkal asked to fight Renier de Knight.
When the Ultimate Fighting Championship returns to Iowa for the first time in 25 years, they bring an impressive lineup of fights, including a big bantamweight headlining between Corey Sandagen and Daveson Figure Aid.
But perhaps the most interesting night fight would have been when three-time NCAA Division I national champion Nikkal placed an unbeaten streak on the line against former two-division One World champion Reinier de Ridder.
It is an important step in Nikkal’s competition, but at the end of the day, the former Nittany Lion is someone who sought a fight against the “Knights of the Netherlands.”
“This is the matchup I wanted and I feel it’s an exciting matchup for a number of reasons,” Nikkal told Ariel Helwani. “He has achieved a lot of success in other organizations and has achieved success in the UFC, which is what I want to continue fighting better people.
“It’s an interesting matchup. It’s a similar matchup to the battle with Paul Craig. “Obviously, he’s got a victory and I think he has a different type of style on his feet.
Bo Nickal struggles to find the right enemy
Through four appearances in the promotion, Nikkal is a perfect 4-0, with his three wins coming in the distance. However, his victory over Paul Craig at UFC 309 left a lot to be desired. Even Dana White suggested that highly advertised prospects needed some work.
Still, the goal is to continue moving forward and test yourself with every new battle. Unfortunately, finding a battle that makes sense for Nikkar at this point in his career has proven to be a tough job.
“Some people want to fight me, but a lot of people don’t,” Nikkal continued. “It’s like someone who wants to fight me. It’s all about the advantage for them and they want to get some kind of influence from my name,” Nikkal said. “When I move up the rankings, there is a lot to lose for those who don’t want to fight me.
“It’s an interesting position, and in reality there are only about half a dozen people I can fight for because of what makes sense for my career.”