Geoff Neal wanted Gilbert Burns, but will settle for one rising welterweight instead ...Middle East

Geoff Neal has responded to Carlos Prates’ callout.

Prates (21-6 MMA, 4-0 UFC) expressed interest in fighting Neal (16-6 MMA, 8-4 UFC) after knocking out Neil Magny in the UFC Fight Night 247 main event this past November.

Neal hasn’t competed since a quick TKO of former champion Rafael dos Anjos at UFC 308, and picked Gilbert Burns as his ideal next opponent. But with Burns booked against Michael Morales April 12 at UFC 314, he changed his tune towards Prates.

“(Prates) doesn’t interest me just because I want to fight up in the rankings. But the way things are looking and how the division’s looking, the only person that would make sense to fight ahead of me in the rankings is probably Gilbert (Burns),” Neal told Middle Easy.

“I don’t see anybody else wanting to fight me or they’re just kind of like, ‘I just won my last fight,’ and my last fight was against somebody who isn’t even ranked in our division. So, it’s a tough one, but Gilbert is like my ideal fight that I want to get, but if push comes to shove, I’ll fight Carlos too. April, I want to fight either one of those dudes.”

As for Prates, he may not have the ranking Neal is looking for, but the Fortis MMA standout acknowledges that he’s a legit opponent.

“He’s solid, man, he has power,” Neal said. “He’s long, but styles make fights, and I have yet to see how he’s going to match up with my style because he’s not one of those fighters who’s going to long range and point fight. We’re going to get in there and we’re going to be throwing hands so, we’ll see how that goes.

“Everybody’s durable until they get hit real hard. I’ve finished multiple durable opponents. I’m not going to go into the cage holding onto my durability. I’m just trying not to get hit in the face. I will not rely on no durability. I’m just going to move my f*cking head, but we’ll see. I look at a lot of his fights, and I still believe I’m better than him.”

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