Josh Neer
Josh ‘The Dentist’ BioNeer – MMA Profile
Josh Neer is a UFC veteran despite his young 25 years. Since 2003, he has amassed a remarkably prolific record that includes 21 wins, 7 losses, and 1 draw. His fighting style is a creative blend of Muay Thai and wrestling, which may explain why his victories in the cage are equally split between knockouts and submissions. Neer, nicknamed “The Dentist,” favors striking, using his hands and knees to wear down his opponents before delivering the crushing knockout blows.
His first MMA experience occurred in 2002, a week after he observed a local bout. At the time, he was working in construction, training when time allowed. But, fighting seemed to come easy to Neer and by the time he was ready to graduate from the amateur ranks, he had an impressive 11-0 record under his belt. His amateur record was a suggestion of things to come as his wins were split equally between knockouts and submissions. As an interesting side note, Neer competed in many more amateur bouts than his record implies. Fighting up to 3 times a night, his overall record before entering the professional MMA circuit was 87-1.
Neer made a memorable impression on fans during his first professional MMA bout in 2003. He slammed Josh Kennedy to the ground, resulting in a TKO and his first pro victory. Though he went on to defeat 2 more MMA fighters (and drawing a third), Neer’s first loss came at the hands of Spencer Fisher in a split decision. The experience seemed to galvanize him and he dominated his next 10 competitors, 6 of them by knockout. It was during this streak that “The Dentist” knocked out Mark Andrew Long, earning himself the Xtreme Kage Kombat Welterweight Championship title.
Citing UFC legend Tito Ortiz as one of his favorite MMA fighters, Neer seems poised to continue building his list of wins. Though he has suffered losses to notable fighters such as Drew Fickett, Josh Burkman, and Nick Diaz, he remains undaunted, confident in his fighting prowess and dedication to his craft. At only 25, Neer may yet become one of the UFC’s memorable powerhouses.