The fan favorite slugger is coming back on UFC 308 card at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, UAE. Geoff Neal is set to face a former UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos on October 26. Coming off two straight losses to the up-and-coming Shavkat Rakhmonov and Ian Machado Garry, Geoff has a statement to make and an opponent to flatten, which promises something big for the live crowd in The Emirates, and for us, sitting inside our houses, as well.
It is a great opportunity to remind ourselves about the absurd beating he put on the then future belt holder at 170-pound weight class, Belal Muhammad. This clash happened on January 19, 2019, at Barclays Center, taking the second fight of the card spot. Both were unranked at the time, which is a crazy thing to think about, as they both are considered seasoned veterans amongst today’s welterweights; especially Muhammad, who seemed to be making a claim for the title fight for decades before finally getting it this August of this year.
The night of the fight
Geoff started a bit slow, as he was making reads for Belal’s awkward movements. From the moment Neal found the ideal placement for his left hand on Muhammad’s nose, the Palestinian seemed hesitant to go forward and drain the opponent’s gas tank, like he did before and would continue to do after this contest. The takedown attempts didn’t go so well for Muhammad either, as Neal’s sprawl made him read the sponsor’s names on the canvas. The times Belal seemed to have a successful entry, Geoff would either use a single arm to put all his weight on, that way technically staying off the ground, or just get up quick enough to where it didn’t even count as a complete takedown. By the time the last bell rang, future champion looked like a Jason victim.
30-27, 30-27 and 29-28 the scorecards read all for Geoff Neal.
Their careers since
Since then – as you can understand – a lot has changed. “Handz of Steel” would win his next two fights against Niko Price and Mike Perry, lose to Magny and Thopmson, edge out a decision against Santiago Ponzinibbio, and then take off a good decade of Vicente Luque’s life. After that, as already mentioned, Neal got finished for the first time in the UFC opposing Shavkat Rakhmonov, and lost a lackluster decision to Ian Machado Garry.
Belal Muhammad, on the other hand, went all those years without losing once. If not that weird ‘no contest’ in their first fight with Leon Edwards, it would be ten victories in a row for the Palestinian.
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