Ian Garry maintained his unbeaten record tonight at UFC 298 by claiming a split-decision victory over Geoff Neal.
Round One:
Inside low kick from Neal to start. Garry with a front kick to the body from range. Calf kick for Garry and then threatens with a head kick that’s blocked.
Inside leg kick for Neal. Push kick to the body from Garry. Now a leg kick. Garry circling on the outside now. Body kick from Neal. Nice body punch from Garry.
Quick left hand from Garry as Neal lands a leg kick. Neal trying to close down the range as Garry seeks to operate on the outside.
left hand from Neal and continues to press forward throwing more punches that don’t find the mark, then settling for the clinch against the cage.
Neal looking to dominate the position, but Garry does manage to turn into him. However, Neal then regains the position.
A minute of the round remaining and Garry gets away, though does eat a punch in the process. Garry working nicely to the body.
leg kick for Garry. He looks for a head kick and then works a front kick to the body. Body kick from Garry. Neal with a brief flurry of punches towards the end of the round.
Round Two:
Front kick to the body for Garry. Missed punches from Neal. Solid body kick from Garry. He puts out the jab and then circles away.
Garry misses on a knee upstairs. Neal into the clinch against the cage. Short punches from Neal but not able to get too much happening her and then Garry breaks away.
Right hand from Garry. Now a knee upstairs that just grazes the target. Body kick for him now. Inside leg kick from Neal.
Jab for Garry. Now a push kick to the thigh and a body kick. Right hand lands for Neal and then works into the clinch against the cage.
They move off the cage but still in the clinch. Neal lands an uppercut as they break. jab lands for Neal. Front kick upstairs attempted by Garry.
Garry stays patient and then lands a body kick. Now a knee to the midsection as well. Neal gets into range and throws some tight punches.
Solid jab for Garry. Head kick attempt from Neal is blocked. Neal lands a punch. He goes into the clinch again at the end of the round.
Round Three:
Both fighters miss punches and then Neal goes back into the clinch against the cage. Garry gets away. head kick attempt from him is blocked.
Solid body kick from Garry, but then Neal returns fire with a few body punches and one upstairs.
Inside leg kick for Garry. Jab and then a knee to the body for Garry. Reaching body punch from Neal.
Body kick for Garry. Neal darts forward and lands a punch, then into the clinch. They break free again. left for Neal.
One-two from Garry. Good knee to the body from Garry. Now a solid body kick. Garry on his bike now circling on the outside.
Push kick to the leg from Garry. More circling. Bit of hand-fighting and a glancing jab from Garry. another knee to the body from the Irishman.
Right hand for Garry. Neal throws but misses. Garry circles away as Neal tries to let his hands go again. Neal lets his hands go again without finding a clean connection and so settles for the clinch once more.
Final 10 seconds and no real urgency from Neal. Garry lands an elbow though. Neal backs away raising his arm as if in celebration even though he’s likely lost the fight.
Decision:
Garry fought a composed, tactical fight, working on the outside nicely with kicks and the occasional knee and that earns him a split decision victory (30-27 x2, 28-29). Hard to see how one judge saw it in Neal’s favor.
