Rivalries: Neil Magny

Neil Magny may never know the experience of leaving the Octagon with gold strapped to his waist, but the 34-year-old Brooklyn, New York, native has quietly put together a career of historical significance.

As he enters his ninth full year on the Ultimate Fighting Championship roster, Magny’s 18 welterweight wins rank second—he trails only Georges St. Pierre (19)—on the promotion’s all-time list at 170 pounds. “The Ultimate Fighter 16” semifinalist has grown into his role as a reliable main card competitor and occasional headliner, having defeated a number of contemporaries, from onetime World Extreme Cagefighting titleholder Carlos Condit to former UFC champions Johny Hendricks and Robbie Lawler. Magny last competed at UFC on ESPN 24, where he laid claim to a unanimous decision over Geoff Neal on May 8.

While Magny awaits word from matchmakers on his next assignment, a look at some of the rivalries that have helped shape his career:

Demian Maia

The onetime Abu Dhabi Combat Club Submission Wrestling World Championships gold medalist submitted Magny with a rear-naked choke in the second round of their featured UFC 190 prelim on Aug. 1, 2015 at the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro. “The Haitian Sensation” checked out 2:52 into Round 2, suffering his first setback in nearly two years. Maia was in prime form. The longtime Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt executed a takedown inside the first 30 seconds and rolled from there. He advanced to mount on multiple occasions in the first round and suffocated Magny from the top. The scene repeated itself in Round 2, but this time, he slid from the mount to the back, setting his hooks before fishing the choke. Magny fought to free himself, but his efforts went for naught and he was left no choice but to tap, the loss closing the door on his career-best seven-fight winning streak.

Kelvin Gastelum

Magny filled in for the injured Matt Brown and took a split decision from “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 17 winner in the UFC Fight Night 78 headliner on Nov. 21, 2015 at Monterrey Arena in Monterrey, Mexico. All three cageside judges scored it 48-47: Cardo Urso for Gastelum, Eric Colon and Marcos Rosales for Magny, who started strong and withstood a late surge from his favored counterpart. Neither man was willing to break. Magny controlled the early stages with his length and pace. He advanced to full mount and progressed to the back in the first round, struck for multiple takedowns in the second and dictated the terms of the engagement for much of the third. Gastelum, perhaps sensing the fight was slipping away, made his move in the fourth, where he floored Magny twice, once with a right hook and later with a left. The Kings MMA export maintained his momentum in Round 5, as he delivered a takedown inside the first minute and later scrambled into top position when Magny responded with a takedown of his own. Nevertheless, it was not enough to swing a judgment in his favor.

Hector Lombard

Some victories demand more than others. Magny withstood a furious assault to put away the former Bellator MMA champion with punches in the third round of their UFC Fight Night 85 co-feature on March 19, 2016 at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre in Brisbane, Australia. Lombard succumbed to blows 46 seconds into Round 3, as he was finished for the first time in his career. Magny had to earn it. Lombard stunned the Elevation Fight Team rep with an uppercut in the first round and followed up with a hellacious amount of punishment, unleashing punches, elbows and forearm strikes. Magny endured, and by the time the first five minutes had concluded, his counterpart was on fumes. Lombard floored the Colorado-based welterweight with a straight left in the second round but surrendered his position on a failed foot lock attempt. Magny moved to mount, caught a triangle choke and then advanced to mount a second time. Lombard rolled to his stomach out of desperation, only to be flattened out. Magny cut loose with more than 40 unanswered punches, but referee Steve Perceval elected not to stop it. Lombard had nothing left for Round 3. Magny executed a takedown inside the first minute, climbed to mount without resistance and closed out the American Top Team mainstay with punches.

Michael Chiesa

“The Ultimate Fighter” Season 15 winner on Jan. 20, 2021 rode repeated takedowns, smooth positional advances and crushing top control to a unanimous decision over Magny in the UFC on ESPN 20 headliner at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. All three judges scored it 49-46 for Chiesa. Magny looked hapless at times, frustrated at others. Chiesa did just enough on the feet to give the Elevation Fight Team rep pause, pursued him in the clinch and went to work after dragging him to the ground. The scene repeated itself over and over again in the five-round clash, resulting in a 93-52 disparity on total strikes. Magny had a few glimmers of hope—he threatened “Maverick” with an inverted triangle in the fourth round—but too few of them to make any real headway.