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Matchup Spotlight | Geoff Neal vs Carlos Prates
Welterweight Knockout Artists Finally Get To Square Off As Geoff Neal And Carlos Prates Hope To Make A Bid For The Top 10 With A Win At UFC 319: Du Plessis vs Chimaev
Patience is a respected, aspirational and admirable virtue. That said, nothing tests one’s patience more than waiting for a fun and intriguing matchup between two knockout artists in the Octagon.
Geoff Neal and Carlos Prates were booked to fight to fight in April at UFC 314 in Miami until Neal pulled out of the bout. Prates fought in the meantime, suffering his first UFC loss to Ian Machado Garry, which meant the matchup with Neal remained on the table in a real way. Prates’ defeat might have scuffed the shine on the matchup a little bit, but any fight fan with any awareness of the game knows better.
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At UFC 319: Du Plessis vs Chimaev, the welterweight contenders finally lock horns in the Octagon in a critical matchup that should overflow with fireworks.
UFC 319 Countdown | Geoff Neal vs Carlos Prates
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UFC 319 Countdown | Geoff Neal vs Carlos Prates
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Geoff Neal
A Dana White’s Contender Series alumnus from all the way back in season three, Neal steadily established himself as one of the best 170ers in the world. In 12 UFC fights, Neal collected eight wins, six finishes (four knockouts, two submissions) and three performance bonuses. The Dallas resident’s resume represents some of the toughest competition possible, and he has picked up wins over marquee names like Rafael Dos Anjos, Vicente Luque, Santiago Ponzinibbio and Belal Muhammad.
With his thudding left hand and lightning left high kick, Neal has given himself a handful of opportunities to break into the title picture, but shortcomings against Stephen Thompson, Neil Magny, Shavkat Rakhmonov and Ian Machado Garry stifled any momentum in that direction. That said, Neal hasn’t ever been fully out of any fight — a perk of having fight-changing power and a high skill level.
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Where Neal has struggled in the past has almost come off as trusting himself and pulling the trigger. Machado Garry and Thompson were able to use footwork and distance management to frustrate Neal, but he has shown in fights like his knockout over Luque the ability to overwhelm an opponent who meets him in the middle. The potential for a run toward the top remains for the 34-year-old, and thwarting a hot contender like Prates would do wonders for his bid.
Carlos Prates
Brazil’s Prates was a shoo-in to the promotion after he sparked Mitch Ramirez in his Dana White’s Contender Series bout in November 2023. The suave striker quickly became a fan-favorite in 2024 as he picked up four consecutive knockout wins over Trevin Giles, Charles Radtke, Li Jingliang and Neil Magny, each earning a performance bonus.
The cult of fanfare dovetailed with the rise of the Fighting Nerds in 2024. Prates, who splits his time with the Nerds and his home squad Vale Top Team, carried the banner along with Jean Silva, Caio Borralho and Mauricio Ruffy. The quartet was equal parts style and devastating substance, and the MMA fandom quickly came to adore the cigarette-smoking sniper, Prates.
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The 31-year-old “Nightmare” experienced his first stumble in his second main event shot, a relatively late-notice crack at Machado Garry in Kansas City. Although the Irishman mesmerized with his technical ability and movement, Prates’ power gave him an opportunity late in the bout as he cracked Machado Garry and nearly scored a late finish. Alas, the judges gave Machado Garry the unanimous nod, snapping Prates11-fight winning streak.
That Prates returns to the matchup with Neal, thus marking a sort of return to where he was before the loss, speaks to the maintained belief in his stock.
Meeting in the Middle
With 26 knockouts between them and a combined average fight time hovering around two full rounds, all signs point toward a finish in Chicago. However, the two go about finding the finishing shot in distinct ways.
Prates is a patient striker who averages 3.6 strikes per minute, opting to feint and pressure forward as he seeks windows to open up. Neal is quite athletic and able to float on the outside before darting into the pocket and landing his shots, but his 5.05 strikes per minute speaks to a slightly higher work rate than his counterpoint.
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Coincidentally, both men absorb more strikes than they land, which could mean nothing in this scenario but also could mean they are going to be comfortable putting themselves in harm’s way in order to land the heavier shot. To each fighter’s credit, they are sharp, technical and mindful in their approach, but they also fight like people who always feel like they have the heaviest shot in their locker.
In short, Chicago is getting a treat of a fight ahead of the co-main and main events of the evening.
UFC 319: Du Plessis vs Chimaev took place live from United Center in Chicago, Illinois on August 16, 2025. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!