"Maybe Diaz pulls off like some random Gogoplata off his back" - Geoff Neal feels Nate Diaz will need something extraordinary to beat Khamzat Chimaev
Geoff Neal recently shared his take on Nate Diaz vs. Khamzat Chimaev at UFC 279 in September.
'Handz of Steel' doesn't see Diaz earning a knockout win against 'Borz'. He is also sceptical of the Stockton native's chances of stopping Chimaev's takedowns. That said, the 31-year-old didn't dismiss Diaz's chances of winning altogether.
He said the veteran might pull off a rare submission like Gogoplata off his back and shock everyone. Here's what the No.13 ranked welterweight contender said in a recent interview with BJPENN.com:
"I don't see Diaz knocking him out and I also don't see Diaz stopping his takedowns. So, maybe Diaz pulls of like some random Gogoplata off his back, I don't know. I don't know where he is gonna win but we'll see. You never know. He could shock everybody."
Watch Geoff Neal talk about Nate Diaz vs. Khamzat Chimaev:
Gogoplata is one of the rarest submissions in the sport of MMA. While Nate Diaz has never pulled off the move to win a fight, his older brother Nick Diaz has a win over Takanori Gomi via Gogoplata.
Nick Diaz defeated Takanori Gomi back in 2007 under the Pride 33 promotion. However, his win was later turned into a no-contest after Diaz tested positive for using marijuana.
Watch Nick Diaz vs. Takanori Gomi:
One might expect that Nate Diaz has that move in his arsenal as well. He has been training with his older brother throughout his career and is an exceptional jiu-jitsu artist in his own right. The fact that he is a Cesar Gracie jiu-jitsu blackbelt speaks volumes of his skills.
Geoff Neal returns against Vicente Luque this weekend
Geoff Neal is set to return this weekend as he takes on Vicente Luque in the co-main event of UFC Fight Night: Santos vs. Hill.
Both Neal and Luque are two of the craftiest strikers of the welterweight division. Neal last fought in December 2021 and earned a split decision win against Santiago Ponzinibbio.
Luque, meanwhile, is currently the No. 6 ranked welterweight contender. 'The Silent Assassin' is coming off a decision loss against Belal Muhammad in his last fight. The 30-year-old got his four-fight winning streak snapped with that loss.
Given the stand-and-trade style of both fighters, fans can expect a striking battle this weekend when Luque and Neal fight.