A significant welterweight match between Geoff Neal and Carlos Prates will no longer take place at UFC 314.
During the UFC Mexico broadcast on Saturday, UFC commentator Jon Anik announced that Geoff Neal suffered an injury, causing him to withdraw from the fight. Consequently, the entire bout has been removed from the April 12 event card. Details regarding the nature of Neal’s injury and his expected recovery time were not disclosed.
Carlos Prates will not be given a replacement opponent for this event. However, Anik hinted that the Brazilian fighter may be presented with a more significant opportunity in the near future.
“We anticipate having some significant updates regarding Carlos Prates in the coming weeks,” Anik stated.
Regardless of future plans, this news is undoubtedly a setback for Prates. He was aiming to capitalize on his impressive 2024 run, which included four consecutive victories, all finishes by knockout in either the first or second round.
Prates was set to further establish his reputation by facing a seasoned veteran like Neal. Now, he will have to wait for a future date for his next fight.
This fight was intended to be Neal’s chance to secure a second consecutive win after his victory over Rafael dos Anjos last October. Neal will now miss the opportunity to compete against one of the rising stars in the UFC.
With the cancellation of Neal vs. Prates, the UFC 314 main card is currently reduced to four fights. A fifth fight is expected to be promoted to the main card before the event on April 12 in Miami.
