Geoff Neal is set to face Ian Machado Garry at UFC 299, undeterred by Garry’s previous antics of selling a t-shirt with Neal’s mugshot and claiming a mental victory after their initial fight was canceled, as Neal seeks to settle their differences in the octagon.
Geoff Neal was none too pleased. Ian Machado Garry had gone and slapped Neal’s mugshot on a t-shirt for sale. But, get this, the real sting wasn’t as sharp as Garry bragged post-cancellation of their UFC 292 bout.
Back in the heat of July, the showdown was all set. Then, Garry flaunts this shirt, right? It’s got Neal’s DUI mug from 2021. Neal bows out due to health woes, and Garry’s all, “I won the mind game, fight’s off.”
Neal begs to differ. He’s itching to set the record straight. They’ve rescheduled for UFC 299 in March, and Neal’s got something to prove.
“I figured we’d run it back,” Neal mused on *The MMA Hour*. He got sick, couldn’t fight, but expected Garry to want a do-over. Instead, Garry’s trash-talking, claiming a premature victory. “Weird stuff,” Neal thought. Now, they’ve got a second chance.
Neal admits pulling out looked bad. Especially with Garry’s mouth running wild. But Neal’s ready to leave it all in the past.
The t-shirt stunt? Neal shrugged it off. “It was in poor taste,” he said, calling it “low-class.” Garry had been all respectful in private, then flipped a switch. Neal found it odd, but he’s not dwelling on it.
“It was just low class,” Neal repeated. He’s not losing sleep over it. He’s focused on the fight. “March 7, I’m gonna beat him up,” he vowed.
Irony struck when Garry had to bail on UFC 296. Pneumonia got him, right after a nasty spat with Sean Strickland. Neal knows the karma game all too well.
“It’s poetic justice,” Neal observed. Garry’s known for provoking fighters. Now, he’s on the receiving end.
Neal’s not a fan of the sport’s trashy turn. Take Colby Covington‘s recent vile comment about Leon Edwards‘ past. Neal wishes the sport would stick to the cage, not personal jabs.
“I don’t like it,” Neal confessed. He’s all about the fight, the thrill of combat. “I specialize in violence,” he said plainly. The trash talk? Not his style. He’d rather just duke it out.
Neal’s aware of the fight game’s harsh reality. Dana White’s words echo: don’t like it, leave. Neal’s choice? Deal with it.
As for his next fight, Neal’s pumped to face Garry. The guy’s record is spotless, and the hype is real. But Neal’s eager to put an end to it.
“He deserves the hype,” Neal conceded. But in the same breath, he promised, “He also deserves an ass whooping.” And Neal’s just the guy to deliver it.