Exclusive: UFC 285 fighter Geoff Neal picks his winner for Jon Jones vs. Ciryl Gane
Geoff Neal is clear about who he's rooting for in the upcoming heavyweight title clash between Jon Jones and Ciryl Gane at UFC 285. The pay-per-view event scheduled for March 4 will mark the highly anticipated return of 'Bones' after a hiatus of over three years.
'Handz of Steel' will also face Shavkhat Rakhmonov in a welterweight contest on the same card just before the co-main event of the evening. While they were previously scheduled to clash on January 14, Neal was forced to withdraw from the fight due to an injury.
Ahead of his bout this weekend, the 32-year-old Texas native weighed in on the headliner of UFC 285 and picked Jon Jones to get the job done. In an exclusive interview with James Lynch of Sportskeeda MMA, Geoff Neal revealed why he thought so:
"I'm going for Jones man. I know he's going up to heavyweight and all the factors and that cr*p, but I just like Jon Jones. It's ridiculous how much hate he gets and he's just not respected as one of the greatest fighters in the sport, but I'm rooting for him. I hope he wins."
Watch the full interview below:
UFC 285: Geoff Neal on being appreciated by the promotion
Geoff Neal is gearing up to face Shavkat Rakhmonov in a welterweight contest set to take place on the main card of UFC 285. Headlined by a heavyweight title fight between Jon Jones and Ciryl Gane, the pay-per-view event will take place on March 4 at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
A graduate of Dana White's Contender Series, Neal secured a first-round TKO against Chase Waldon to earn himself a UFC contract. Making his promotional debut in 2018, 'Handz of Steel' secured seven wins in nine outings. He is currently riding a two-fight win streak.
Ahead of his main-card appearance, Geoff Neal discussed the UFC's appreciation for him and spoke about the generosity shown to him by the promotion. In the same exclusive interview with James Lynch of Sportskeeda MMA, the 32-year-old Texas native outlined how the promotion has looked out for him:
"As long as they cut that cheque at the end of the day, I don't care... They do take care of me. Even though I don't have a super big following, I'm always on good spots on the card. They pay me pretty well, so I appreciate the UFC."
Geoff Neal further weighed in on his bout featuring on the main card:
"That's a huge deal. It's a big card to be on pay-per-view for."