There aren’t many guys who boast a fighting record quite like Bellator 129 headliner Josh Neer’s.
“The Dentist” is 36-13-1 as a professional, notching victories inside the UFC Octagon over guys such as Melvin Guillard and Duane Ludwig along the way, and that’s not even half the full story.
In fact, Neer’s fighting career spans far beyond these 50 fights (and 36-13-1 is nothing to sneeze at on its own).
Looking back at Neer’s amateur career, we find a library of bouts, all but one of which saw The Dentist emerge victorious by night’s end. A record of 10-1 in amateur action would be considered good by many.
A mark of 20-1 would be incredible, and 30-1 almost unheard of.
Neer’s record puts them all to shame.
I was 89-1 actually, and how it started is I went to this place where anyone could sign up,” Neer told Bleacher Report. “So I fought a lot of guys that didn’t even train, but I also fought some guy that did train, too. Usually I only fought once a night, sometimes I did fight two or three times a night, but most of the times it was only one time a night. Eventually I ran out of guys who would fight me so basically I had to go pro.
I didn’t really train anything. I mean, I was just right out of high school, just a wrestler. Most of my fights I ended up knocking the guy out. It was always natural to me to just go in and fight, so that’s basically what I did. I think out of my 89 wins I only won by submission one time, so the rest of them were TKO or a referee stoppage.
Now facing Paul Bradley at Bellator 129 Friday evening, Neer finds himself at ease. Violent and unpredictable as it may be, the sport of MMA cannot offer much surprise to Neer, and the 31-year-old scrap artist will lean on this experience and his inherent will to fight as he looks for his fourth-straight win at Bellator 129.
Both Iowa natives, Neer and Bradley previously wrestled in high school, a match which did not end in Neer’s favor. While Neer was a solid high-school athlete of his own, Bradley operated at a different level on the mats. He was a state champion who went on to twice earn All-American status at the University of Iowa. Wrestling is ingrained in Bradley, and the sport has treated him well throughout his fighting career.
Thankfully for Neer, none of that will matter Friday. This is a fistfight. There will be no singlets, no pins and no headgear inside the Bellator cage.
“He beat me (in high-school wrestling), yeah,” Neer said. “But we’re not doing a wrestling match now. It’s a fight.”
And just like wrestling is in Bradley’s blood, Neer’s crimson life water is littered with boxing knowledge, with jiu-jitsu, with kicks, knees and elbows. He’s a finisher—only four of his 36 pro wins came via decision—and Bradley is about to receive a front-row seat to his next masterpiece in brutality.
“I’m going in there trying to finish the guy, I’m going in to try to knock him out or submit him or have the referee stop the fight, you know?” Neer said. “I’m not really worried about my safety, because I don’t see myself dying in a fight.”
Neer said a renewed focus and a dedicated wrestling coach have sown any holes in his wrestling defense, and he’s continued to grow by making regular trips to California to learn from UFC stars Nate and Nick Diaz.
Both Diaz brothers defeated Neer earlier in his career (Nick via third-round submission, Nate via split decision), and Neer now works alongside them, soaking up their knowledge and veteran tips and tricks.
They’re really technical fighters and they have a lot of knowledge to teach anyone,” Neer said. “I’ve learned a lot of jiu-jitsu stuff, I learned some good judo throws, I learned a lot of boxing, everything. They’re just really good, technical fighters, and they can teach anyone. I just respect their style. I think their style is a lot like my style, so it’s just a good fit.
Should these elements blend perfectly Friday, Neer will find himself in a nice position inside Bellator’s welterweight division. The 170-pound champ Douglas Lima has showcased ferocious striking and elite jiu-jitsu throughout his career, and other tests such as British power striker Paul Daley and judo wizard Rick Hawn potentially await.
Dangerous and worthy as these names may be, Neer remains unfazed. Maybe it’s the 140-plus fights talking, maybe it’s just a natural nonchalance toward the prospect of stepping into the cage with a trained beast. Whatever it is, Neer’s rolling with it, and he thinks he can ride the wave all the way to the top of Bellator’s welterweight class.
“I feel like I’m at the top,” Neer said. “I feel like I’m one of the best guys in the division, so hopefully I can move on up and fight the top guys.
“My whole thing right now is I want to fight exciting fighters. I’m trying to fight big-name guys that are the best and the guys that are going to make exciting fights.”
*All quotes were obtained firsthand unless otherwise noted.
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