IRVINE, Calif. – Despite his opponent’s past antics, Geoff Neal is solely focused on the task at hand, which will ultimately lead him closer to his career goal of becoming UFC champion.
After their first booking fell apart in August at UFC 292, Neal (15-5 MMA, 7-3 UFC) will meet Ian Machado Garry on the main card of UFC 298 at Honda Center in Anaheim. The first time around, Garry (13-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) wore a t-shirt with Neal’s mugshot, which rubbed some fans the wrong way. Despite Garry’s attempts to get under his skin, Neal doesn’t find any added motivation from the things his opponent has done in the past.
“It’s motivation no matter what,” Neal told MMA Junkie and other reporters at Wednesday’s media day. “Ian Garry aside, this fight is not about Ian Garry. This fight is about me. I want to win, I want to be a champ, and he’s just in the way. It’s just another body.”
