In the main event of UFC Vegas 17 there was a big time matchup in the welterweight division. Former title challenger, Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson (15-4-1), took on Geoff “Handz of steel” Neal (13-2).
It’s been a tough 2020 for Geoff Neal, but he was getting a massive opportunity tonight. Getting his first fight of 2020 and his first headlining fight in the UFC. Neal entered the octagon on a seven-fight winning streak.
However, it’s been the finishes that have put Neal on the map. He’s finished six of those seven fights including four of his five fights in the UFC. Neal has looked like a destroyer since stepping into the octagon.
However, he would have his hands full with the UFC‘s Wonderboy. Wonderboy Thompson was also making the walk for the first time in 2020. Thompson picked up a big win over Vicente Luque.
That victory snapped a two-fight losing streak for Wonderboy. Wonderboy is one of the most decorated strikers to have competed in the UFC‘s welterweight division, and he was looking to prove he’s still one of the best in the world tonight.
UFC Vegas 17 Recap
Round 1
The UFC Vegas 17 main event got underway with a touch of the gloves. Thompson opened the striking with a high kick that just missed. Neal was bouncing on the outside and got clipped with a left hand and a good leg kick.
Neal was trying to close the distance, but Wonderboy was doing a good job of using his kicks to keep him Neal at distance. Wonderboy then blitzed forward with a couple shots of his own.
Two minutes into the UFC Vegas 17 main event and Neal was trying to cutoff the cage. However, he was really struggling to land anything in the first. Wonderboy landed a really nice spinning back kick to the body with two minutes left in the round.
Neal finally landed a couple of clean shots with 90 seconds left in the round. However, Thompson took the shots well and went right back to work with his kicks. Just before the round ended a clash of heads caused a small cut for both. Good first round for Wonderboy.
Round 2
The UFC Vegas 17 main event’s second round opened with pressure from Geoff Neal. Wonderboy started working the jab the keep Neal at range. Neal was appearing a little frustrated early on in the second round.
One minute into the round and Neal pushed Wonderboy against the fence. Wonderboy was able to push Neal away and get the fight back to range. Every time Neal was coming in during the second round he was getting clipped by Wonderboy.
A solid 1-2 from Wonderboy landed as Neal tried to push forward again. Geoff Neal just couldn’t get anything going against Wonderboy in the first couple of rounds. Every time he’d cut off the cage, Wonderboy would pop him and move.
Two minutes left in the round and Wonderboy continued scoring with straight shots. Neal was really starting to get bothered by the cut over his eye. In the final minute, Wonderboy continued to pick Neal apart. 2-0 after two at UFC Vegas 17 for Wonderboy.
Round 3
The UFC Vegas 17 main event’s third round opened with side kicks from Wonderboy. Again, every time Neal started moving forward, he was met with a couple of clean shots from Wonderboy Thompson.
Neal was able to work Wonderboy against the fence 90 seconds into the round and he landed a couple of clean shots. However, nothing seemed to do serious damage to Wonderboy. Wonderboy broke Neal’s clinch about halfway through the round.
Once the two were at distance, Wonderboy went right back to work with his jab. Neal started pushing forward more aggressively and he was doing a better job at landing here in the third round.
Two minutes left in the round and Wonderboy started popping Neal with straight shots again. Neal then started working his jab which was finding a home in the third. A minute left in the round and Neal worked the clinch again against the fence.
Wonderboy was able to break away with 40 seconds left. Once they did, Wonderboy got extremely active with his combinations. A big headkick followed by a couple of clean combinations with his hands. Better third round for Neal but this one is 3-0 for Wonderboy at UFC Vegas 17.
Round 4
Heading into the fourth round in the UFC Vegas 17 main event and I had Neal losing big, but he still seemed fresh. The fourth opened with another clean combination from Wonderboy Thompson.
A solid straight right for Wonderboy lands as Neal tried to close the distance. 90 seconds into the round and Neal engages the clinch after getting clipped a few times by Wonderboy.
Wonderboy broke the clinch pretty quickly and popped Neal with a couple of straight shots. Wonderboy was doing a fantastic job of splitting the guard and hitting Neal clean with shots up the middle as the round continued.
Two minutes left in the round and Neal was looking incredibly frustrated. Neal continued to push forward, but nothing was landing and he was continuing to get caught coming in. Neal landed a bit in the final minute but another clear round for Wonderboy at UFC Vegas 17.
Round 5
Heading into the final round of the UFC Vegas 17 main event and Neal needed a finish in this one. Both men embraced as the final round began. Wonderboy appeared to have an injured leg as the round started.
Neal closed the gap and started throwing bombs, however, Wonderboy countered with bombs of his own. One minute into the round and Wonderboy’s leg was starting to really bother him.
Neal was closing in, but couldn’t land on Wonderboy. Wonderboy started pressing forward throwing big shots of his own. Both of these men were trading big shots in the final round.
Halfway through the round and Wonderboy was racking up the points. Neal through a big overhand land that just missed Wonderboy’s chin. Wonderboy then countered with a big combination of his own.
The two men clinched against the fence with two minutes left. A minute left in the round and the two men separated. Neal was pushing forward looking for something big, but he kept getting clipped by Wonderboy.
Neal landed a couple of clean shots and Wonderboy countered with big shots of his own. Wonderboy then threw big combinations and both men exchanged massive shots as the bell sounded. Should be a shutout and a big UFC win for Wonderboy.
Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson def. Geoff Neal by Unanimous Decision (50-45, 50-45, 50-45)