UFC 314 Dealt Major Blow As Main Card Fight Is Scrapped

Published by Paul Browne on March 30, 2025

Welterweight Fight Cancelled

A highly anticipated fight at UFC 314, scheduled for April 12th, has been called off.

Fighting Nerds prospect Carlos Prates (21-6 MMA, 4-0 UFC) had been set to face Geoff Neal (16-6 MMA, 8-4 UFC) at the Kaseya Center in Miami, Florida. However, UFC officials confirmed on Saturday that Neal has suffered an undisclosed injury, leading to the cancellation of the welterweight matchup.

Prates, who recently broke into the top 15 in the welterweight division, has been on a tear, having an impressive year in 2024. Known as “The Nightmare,” Prates earned four consecutive knockout victories in the Octagon, defeating Trevin Giles, Charles Radtke, Li Jingliang, and Neil Magny. He also impressed with a knockout win over Mitch Ramirez on Dana White’s Contender Series in 2023.

A win over Geoff Neal could have been the perfect opportunity for Prates to move up the rankings and potentially crack the top 10, but it seems he will need to wait for that chance.

Prates will not be facing a replacement opponent at UFC 314 and is instead being rescheduled for a later event. On Instagram, he hinted at an exciting update, writing, “News and good news coming soon!”

Despite the setback, UFC 314 remains a star-studded event, featuring a thrilling lineup. The main event will see Alexander Volkanovski (26-4 MMA, 13-3 UFC) defend his UFC featherweight title against Diego Lopes (26-6 MMA, 6-1 UFC), while the co-main event will showcase a battle between Paddy Pimblett (22-3 MMA, 6-0 UFC) and former Bellator champion Michael Chandler (23-9 MMA, 2-4 UFC).