Geoff Neal reveals five-year battle with substance abuse, sober only two weeks before UFC fights

UFC welterweight contender Geoff Neal opened up on some of his personal struggles outside of the cage for five years of his career.

Many UFC fighters struggle with inner demons both in and out of the cage. Former UFC welterweight star Geoff Neal’s struggles over five years nearly brought his promising career to an abrupt end.

Neal is set to return to the Octagon against Uros Medic at UFC Houston next Saturday. It’s his first fight since a brutal knockout loss to Carlos Prates at UFC 319.

As Neal looks to snap a recent losing skid of defeats in three of his last four fights, he opened up on what’s changed with his life and career ahead of UFC Houston. For the first time in many years, Neal feels clear-headed after a brutal struggle with substance abuse while fighting some of the toughest welterweights in the world.

Geoff Neal tells all on five-year battle with addiction during UFC rise

In a recent interview with Home of Fight, Neal opened up on the inner battles he fought through outside the Octagon.

“Right around COVID, when I got sepsis, I fell into a hole. This is the first time I’ve opened up about it. Had a problem with addiction, drugs, and alcohol,” Neal said.

“It was rough, five years of it. But within those five years, the longest I was sober in that five years was like two weeks, and that was usually before a fight. I only slowed down two weeks before the fight, coming to the fights underprepared and out of shape. It was rough, man. It’s crazy that I stayed in the rankings the entire time…

“Thank God for my wife, my wife was here for me throughout the entire time. The ups and downs, shoutout to her,” Neal said. “It really feels like those past five years, I wasn’t living. I was there, but I wasn’t present…people that go through addiction, they know what I’m talking about when I say I’m actually living life and actually experiencing [life] again for the first time…I’m at the point now where whenever I see liquor, I get sick to my stomach, and I don’t think I’ll ever drink again.”

As he begins his journey of sobriety, Neal will look to get back into the welterweight title mix and regain the form that saw him earn wins over Mike Perry, Belal Muhammad, and Rafael dos Anjos.

What is your prediction for Geoff Neal’s upcoming fight at UFC Houston?