If Frank Camacho’s involved, it’s usually a bloody war, and that was the case Saturday at UFC 228. The fight, however, did not go his way, with Geoff Neal putting on an impressive show and capping it off with a head kick knockout.
Appearing on the televised prelims of UFC 228 in Dallas, TX on Saturday, perpetual Fight of the Night machine Frank Camacho returned to action. Despite three Fight of the Night bonuses in three UFC fights, however, Camacho was just 1-2, and was looking to even his record against Geoff Neal. ‘Handz of Steel’ had won three straight prior to meeting Camacho in Dallas, and was yet another product of the Contender Series.
Ultimately, it was Neal who raised eyebrows in Dallas.
Camacho held the center of the cage early, backing Neal up towards the fence. Neal would fire off a kick and stay light on his feet, even showing some stance switches. A second high kick would nearly catch Camacho, who was working to puzzle out Neal’s style. Neal came over the top with a left hand, however, connecting clean. The left high kick was fired off again by Geoff Neal. Straight lefts followed, two of them. To his credit, Frank Camacho rarely stopped walking forward, but right before the buzzer, he was dropped! A 3-2 combination, hook then cross, did the damage. Neal rained down follow-up strikes as Camacho crawled forward and grabbed a leg, just barely surviving the round.
OH! Neal drops Camacho, but time expires in the 1st round at #UFC228! pic.twitter.com/8KPFSJYEPw
— UFC Canada (@UFC_CA) September 9, 2018
Camacho was clipped early in the second, still wobbled from the first round. He swung back, wildly, and Neal even added a flying knee. Camacho refused to go down, walking foward, swinging away as Neal reset. However, a head kick then floored Camacho, who went down in a heap! Neal had fired that left head kick off several times earlier, but in this case, it landed clean behind the ear, as Camacho had his hands down.
A breakout performance by Neal in the end!
Geoff Neal def. Frank Camacho by knockout (head kick), Round 2, 1:23
