Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC
UFC welterweight prospect Geoff Neal looks at options for his next bout.
One of the bright spots on last Saturday’s UFC 240 card was rising welterweight prospect Geoff Neal, who scored a second-round KO in a wild fight with Niko Price. The Texan is on a six-fight winning streak, with four of them coming under the UFC banner.
So what’s next for Neal? He sees the UFC having him take on the winner of Vicente Luque vs. Mike Perry, which co-headlines UFC Uruguay on August 10th.
“Another fight I’m keeping my eye on is Vicente Luque vs. Mike Perry,” Neal told MMA Junkie Radio. “I feel like whoever wins that one, they’ll throw the winner against me. So we’ll see what happens with that.”
Either matchup would be virtually guaranteed fireworks and very sensible matchmaking. Also in his sights is the potential for him to face Robbie Lawler, should Lawler lose this Saturday’s UFC Newark main event to Colby Covington.
“I’ll watch the Covington-Lawler one because I feel like if Lawler does lose, I might be able to pick up that fight against him,” Neal said. “And that’s a good fight for me as far as getting my name out there because Lawler is a ‘G.’ He’s like a legend – everyone knows him.”
Neal (12-2) has beaten Brian Camozzi, Frank Camacho, Belal Muhammad, and the aforementioned Price during his brief but electrifying UFC run. He’s yet to secure a top-15 ranking — that could change soon pending the next update — but Neal intends to make his push towards a title shot next year.
“That’s what I have envisioned in my head: two more big wins, then 2020, try to make that run for the belt,” Neal said.