Ian Machado Garry has expressed his frustration over Geoff Neal’s withdrawal from their scheduled welterweight bout at UFC 292 in Boston. Even though the fight won’t happen on Saturday, Machado Garry feels as though he’s already won.
The bout was supposed to feature Machado Garry and Neal, but Neal pulled out for reasons that haven’t been fully disclosed, and Neil Magny was brought in as a late replacement. While Machado Garry appreciates the opportunity to remain on the card and extend his undefeated streak in the UFC, he’s not completely pleased with how things have turned out.
When asked about the situation on The MMA Hour, Machado Garry expressed his annoyance, saying that he had envisioned a beautiful finish against Neal, and he felt robbed of that chance. He praised Neil Magny for stepping in but remained confident that neither of the opponents would be good enough to defeat him.
Machado Garry didn’t hold back his words, referring to Neal with derogatory terms and targeting Neal’s past, specifically an incident involving Neal’s arrest on suspicion of drunk driving and a weapons charge in November 2021. Machado Garry even made a t-shirt featuring Neal’s mugshot, using it as part of his fight promotion and mental strategy.
According to Machado Garry, this psychological warfare worked, and he believes it played a role in Neal’s withdrawal from the fight. He considers it a victory for him and asserts that Neal’s emotional investment in the fight became too much to handle.
While Machado Garry doesn’t harbor personal ill-will towards Neal, he seems offended by the change in the UFC 292 fight. He suspected that Neal might not show up, possibly because Neal’s previous submission loss to Shavkat Rakhmonov and the fear of losing to another up-and-coming fighter were too much to bear.
Machado Garry also indicated that he felt he had gotten into Neal’s head with the mind games, especially with the mugshot t-shirt. He’s heard varying explanations for Neal’s withdrawal but remains skeptical of what he’s been told, saying he can’t sit back and believe it. He emphasized that if someone commits to a fight, especially against a younger opponent, they should show up, and Neal’s failure to do so was both disappointing and indicative of his success in the mental battle leading up to the bout.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about fokus keyword UFC 292
Who was supposed to fight Ian Machado Garry at UFC 292?
Geoff Neal was scheduled to fight Ian Machado Garry at UFC 292, but he withdrew for undisclosed reasons, and Neil Magny was brought in as a late replacement.
Why did Geoff Neal withdraw from the fight against Ian Machado Garry?
The exact reason for Geoff Neal’s withdrawal has not been clearly disclosed. Machado Garry expressed skepticism over the reasons he’s heard, indicating there were different explanations given.
What was Ian Machado Garry’s reaction to Geoff Neal’s withdrawal?
Ian Machado Garry was annoyed and upset by Geoff Neal’s withdrawal. He felt robbed of the opportunity to fight Neal and believed he had already won the mental battle leading up to the bout.
Who replaced Geoff Neal in the fight against Ian Machado Garry?
Neil Magny was brought in as a late-notice replacement for Geoff Neal to fight Ian Machado Garry in the welterweight bout at UFC 292.
How did Ian Machado Garry use Geoff Neal’s past as part of his fight promotion?
Machado Garry took aim at Neal’s past, specifically an incident involving Neal’s arrest on suspicion of drunk driving and a weapons charge, by creating a t-shirt featuring Neal’s mugshot. He used this as part of his fight promotion and mental warfare strategy.
