Geoff Neal fought hard in his bout with Santiago Ponzinibbio at UFC269, coming away with a split decision victory.
Despite his big win in a welterweight contenders fight, it was Neal’s trainer who stole the spotlight with a foul-mouthed spray after the second round.
Neal had the edge over his opponent, using counter punches to keep Ponzinibbio off balance but had not taken the clear lead his trainer wanted him to.
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“Look at me, look at me, look at me. I need this f***ing round. Do you understand me?” coach Sayif Saud exclaimed to Neal on Main Event.
“You’re beating him, but the first round was close. You want that [second] round, but it’s close.
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You just need to let your f***ing hands go. Stop standing in front, stop dapping him up, stop being friends with him. Get your f***ing volume going and get in his f***ing ass.
Do you understand? Don’t leave anything out here. You’re going to be pissed off that you left all this shit in the cage. You’re ready to f***ing go. Give him volume, don’t stand in front of him, don’t f***ing get in a slug-fest.”
Neal listened to his coaches’ advice, increasing his output in the third round to get an eventual split decision win which was scored 30-27 and 29-28 in his favour, while the third judge gave a score of 29-28 to his opponent.
“It was a good fight,” Neal said after his victory.
“I really needed that. I kind of threw him off with my movement, which I was planning on doing. I got the win.
“I’m not in a position to call shots. That’s my first ranked in. Whatever comes, I’m ready for it.”