Can Carlos Prates Get Back on Track at UFC 319?
Carlos Prates has looked like an unstoppable killer since he entered the UFC in 2024. He won his first four fights in the UFC all by knockout. He was set up with a main event fight card match against Ian Machado Garry. Throughout the first four rounds, Prates was outclassed and out of his depth. He showed in the last round that when he decides to throw and be aggressive, he can finish anyone. He looks to regroup and come out with a better game plan as he takes on the heavy-handed Geoff Neal at UFC 319. Will Prates get back in the win column, or will Neal’s power bring Prates back to the drawing board?
Carlos Prates has exceptional timing and accuracy in all of his strikes. He can mix up all three levels simultaneously and has one-shot power in anything he throws. In a stacked Welterweight Division that has more grapplers than strikers, his journey to the top looked insurmountable. However, in his fight against Garry, who likes to wrestle at times, he was able to stuff 15 of his takedown attempts. The bad part is that wrestling wore Prates down, and he wasn’t as aggressive as he normally is with the fear of the takedown. In this fight, it will be primarily standing with Neal, having a heavy boxing fight style. He will be able to put Neal on the back foot and use his range to pick him apart, and after a while, the shots will add up, and he will be able to throw multiple combinations to try and get him out of there.
Geoff Neal has always been a fighter with the striking capabilities to make a run at a title shot. However, his lack of aggression and fight IQ has continuously set him back. No one can doubt his knockout power; if you get hit flush with his straight left, there is a good chance you're going to sleep. He is coming off a knockout victory over Rafael Dos Anjos, whom he was beating convincingly before Dos Anjos got hurt. At 34 years old, you never really know what version of Neal you're going to get, but even when he isn’t on his game, the fight is almost always a banger. This fight has the makeup of a potential slug fest, and that does Neal well with his power and striking defense. He will have his opportunities in this fight to do damage; it's just a question of how far in between they come.
A win for either of these fighters can go a long way in a Welterweight Division that is at a crossroads, with Islam Makhachev getting the next title shot opportunity. Both of these fighters could find themselves in a top-five contest their next time out. A guy like Leon Edwards, who has been begging for a striker matchup, would accept either of these guys in a heartbeat. The former champion is currently ranked number four. Whichever way this fight plays out, you don’t want to miss it, as it will be hard-hitting action. Catch this fight and the rest of the main card this Saturday, August 16th, with a start time of 10:00 p.m. EST.
