UFC 319's Geoff Neal: Carlos Prates 'might be bullsh*tting' about strategy change
Saturday on the main card of UFC 319 (ESPN+ pay-per-view), Neal (16-6 MMA, 8-4 UFC) faces Carlos Prates in a key bout for the welterweight division. The matchup was initially set to take place in April at UFC 314, but Neal had to withdraw. Prates (21-7 MMA, 4-1 UFC) decided to face Ian Machado Garry two weeks later and suffered the first loss of his UFC run, ending an 11-fight winning streak.
Prates told reporters he learned a few things from that fight, and may change his approach this time around to implement some grappling. Neal isn't too concerned with how his opponent's strategy may change, and expects things to be settled on the feet.
"I'm ready for whatever," Neal told reporters at Wednesday's media day. "I don't expect him to try to grapple me. I feel like we're just gonna sit in the middle of the cage and just beat each other up."
It's that type of fight that has Neal believing he can end things quickly once the cage door shuts. In his last outing, Neal picked up an injury TKO victory over former lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos in the first round after heated striking exchanges.
Neal knows Prates is skilled, but he likes his chances of standing and trading with the best. He previously predicted a first-round ending and is sticking to it.
"He's a good fighter, he's a tough fighter – I'm not saying I'll finish him in the first round like he's a trash fighter," Neal said. "He's still a top-level, high-level fighter, but I feel like I got what it takes to take him out in the first round."
But what if Prates really does want to try to test Neal's grappling? It would be quite the change of pace for Prates, who finished all of his UFC wins before reaching the third round. A more strategic approach is certainly possible after suffering his first loss in the UFC, as Prates said he wants to find a way to win without worrying about a finish. However, Neal isn't discounting the possibility that his opponent could be playing mind games, too.
"I guess I'm gonna practice some get-ups tonight," Neal said. "I don't know what (just searching for the win) means. I guess I need to work on some jitz tonight just in case he tries to take me down. ... He might be bullsh*tting. Might be trying to get me worried about takedowns to get my hands to stay low so he can throw something over the top. I don't know what to expect. I'm just gonna be ready for anything."
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: UFC 319: Geoff Neal 'ready for whatever' against Carlos Prates
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