UFC on ESPN 67: Reinier de Ridder vs. Bo Nickal Prediction for Today, 05/04/25

The Co-Main Event at UFC on ESPN 67 will see Reinier de Ridder take on Bo Nickal. This will be a fight in the UFC Middleweight division. De Ridder enters this fight with an MMA record of 19-2 and 2-0 in the UFC. He is averaging 3.28 significant strikes per minute and has a striking accuracy of 57%. De Ridder is absorbing 2.69 strikes and has a striking defense of 38%. His grappling has been elite in the UFC, averaging 6.89 takedowns every 15 minutes and 2.0 submission attempts during the same period. He has a takedown accuracy of 46% and a takedown defense of 100%.

Nickal enters this fight with an MMA record of 7-0 and 6-0 in the UFC. He averages 2.65 significant strikes per minute and has a striking accuracy of 63%. Nickal absorbs 1.86 strikes and has a striking defense of 64%. Nickal has proven to be an elite grappler, averaging 3.61 takedowns every 15 minutes and 3.6 submission attempts during the same period. His takedown accuracy is 50%, and he has not needed to defend a takedown in the UFC.

Nickal is the huge favorite, so instead we will be looking for this fight to end inside the distance. De Ridder has seen both of his UFC fights end inside the distance, while Nickel has seen 5 of his 6 UFC fights do the same. Therefore, because both fighters have shown to have a high finish rate, backing this fight to end inside the distance will be our lean.