“Handz of Steel” is good spirits.
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Welterweight contender Geoff Neal suffered his first knockout loss inside the Octagon when heavy-handed Brazilian Carlos Prates floored him with a spinning back elbow this past weekend (Sat., Aug. 16, 2025) at UFC 319, which took place inside United Center in Chicago, Illinois (watch highlights).
A day after the crushing defeat, Neal put out a statement on social media — and he seems to be taking it in stride.
“Man, he didn’t even
hit me 4real,” Neal wrote. “I slipped and the ref stepped in too early. This some bullshit! Lol nah, seriously good shit from [Carlos Prates]. Still in good spirits. Gonna be back in the gym Monday getting ready for the next one. Thanks for all the love.”
It’s nice to see “Handz of Steel” having some fun, as it was a crushing defeat.
Neal (16-7) has now dropped three of his last four fights, including setbacks to Ian Garry and Shavkat Rakhmonov (watch highlights). UFC 319 marked the first time the 34-year-old had been knocked out since 2017, when Kevin Holland stopped him at Xtreme Knockout 34.
Perhaps a fight with unranked Randy Brown could make sense for Neal’s next outing, especially considering he’s spent the last two years facing nothing but top contenders (and a former champion).