Prates Needed One Last Elbow to Finish Neal Before the Horn
Carlos Prates knocked out Geoff Neal on August 16, 2025, during the UFC 319 main card at United Center in Chicago. A spinning back elbow ended their welterweight contest at 4:59 of the first round, leaving just one second before the scheduled break.
| Fighter | Record | Age | Height | Reach | Stance | KO Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geoff Neal | 16–6 (10 KOs) | 34 | 5′11″ | 75″ | Southpaw | 63% |
| Carlos Prates | 21–7 (16 KOs) | 31 | 6′1″ | 78″ | Southpaw | 76% |
Neal’s pressure met a growing body attack
Neal opened with leg kicks and advanced confidently. Prates moved away from that pressure before finding opportunities to return fire, including punches and a knee aimed at the body.
As the round progressed, Neal continued pursuing exchanges but found less consistent success. Prates increasingly connected while choosing his moments rather than allowing the forward movement to dictate every exchange.
A late wrestling attempt preceded the decisive strike
Neal looked to bring the fight to the ground late in the round. Prates answered with a punching combination before producing the spinning elbow that immediately changed the contest.
The strike dropped Neal and referee Jason Herzog stopped the fight. The official time placed the knockout inside the opening round, despite its arrival almost exactly at the horn.
A rescheduled matchup delivered Prates a rebound
The pairing had originally been scheduled for UFC 314 before Neal withdrew. Prates subsequently lost to Ian Machado Garry, bringing an eleven-fight winning streak to an end.
The Chicago knockout returned Prates to the win column against the opponent he had initially expected to face earlier that year. Their bout was a featured welterweight contest on the main card; Lerone Murphy and Aaron Pico occupied the featherweight co-main event.
