A major welterweight matchup between Geoff Neal and Carlos Prates will no longer take place at UFC 314.
During Saturday’s UFC Mexico broadcast, UFC commentator Jon Anik announced that Geoff Neal suffered an injury, forcing him to withdraw from the fight. Consequently, the entire bout has been removed from the April 12th card. No further information was provided regarding the specifics of Neal’s injury or his expected recovery time.
Regarding Carlos Prates, he will not be given a replacement opponent for this event. However, Anik suggested that the Brazilian fighter might be in line for a significant opportunity in the near future.
“We hope to have some big news on Carlos Prates in the weeks to come,” Anik mentioned.
Regardless of future developments, this news is undoubtedly disappointing for Prates. He was aiming to capitalize on his impressive 2024 run, which saw him achieve four consecutive victories, all by knockout within the first two rounds.
Prates was hoping to further establish his reputation by facing a seasoned veteran like Neal, but now he will have to wait for his next fight assignment at a later date.
This fight was intended to be Neal’s opportunity to secure his second consecutive win after defeating Rafael dos Anjos last October. Neal will now miss out on the chance to compete against one of the fastest rising stars in the UFC welterweight division.
With the cancellation of Neal vs. Prates, the UFC 314 main card currently features only four fights. A fifth fight is expected to be added to the main card lineup before the event takes place on April 12th in Miami.
