"How is he going to respond from his defeat?" - Chael Sonnen predicts 'incredible match' between Vicente Luque and Geoff Neal
As UFC Fight Night: Santos vs. Hill edges closer, Chael Sonnen makes his official prediction for the co-main event between Vicente Luque and Goeff Neal.
Fresh off a split decision win over Santiago Ponzinibbio, 'Handz of Steel' hopes to push further up the 170lb rankings with a win over the No.6-ranked welterweight. The 31-year-old has struggled with higher caliber opponents in the past. He lost to both Stephen Thompson and Neil Magny in back-to-back octagon appearances.
In a predictive video posted on social media, Chael Sonnen shared his bold opinion on the clash between Vicente Luque and Geoff Neal. He insisted momentum may play a huge part in how the welterweight clash plays out.
"I'm excited for one that's going under the radar. Geoff Neal versus [Vicente] Luque. Incredible match at 170, there's something to be said for momentum, and Luque's got questions to answer. How is he going to respond from his defeat? Ultimately, three rounds, I'm taking Geoff Neal."
'The Silent Assassin' was on the wrong end of a decision last time out. Despite having some good moments in the standup, Belal Muhammad's wrestling proved to be too much for the Brazilian on the night.
The No.13-ranked Neal hopes to push into the top 10 of the division and make his way to a potential title shot. However, he must first overcome the constant threat posed by Luque on August 6.
Check out what Chael Sonnen had to say about the fight-of-the-year potential welterweight bout in the video below:
My official prediction… https://t.co/6t4b6HFe36
Win or lose, what's next for Vicente Luque?
Vicente Luque finds himself in a strange situation heading into his scheduled fight this weekend. So what's next for the welterweight after the brawl this Saturday when all is said and done?
The 30-year-old was on a tear in the division, finishing four fights in a row before being halted in his tracks by the aforementioned Belal Muhammad. During this run, he scored a TKO against Niko Price and a beautifully placed knee finish against Randy Brown.
He also had back-to-back first-round submissions over Tyron Woodley and Michael Chiesa.
However, one loss and now he is pitted against a fighter outside of the top 10. A win would push Vicente Luque right back into the title picture. A loss, meanwhile, could drag the prospect out of title contention and force him to crawl his way back up the rankings.