The main event of UFC Vegas 78 will see Vicente Luque square off against former champion Rafael dos Anjos live on ESPN and ESPN+ from the Apex in Las Vegas. Luque is in need of a victory after dropping his last two fights in 2022.
UFC Vegas 78: Vicente Luque Seeking End To Losing Streak
Following two losses in 2022, Vicente Luque returns to the Octagon Saturday night, taking on Rafael dos Anjos in the main event of UFC Vegas 78. The event airs live on ESPN and ESPN+ from the Apex in Las Vegas.
Luque put himself on the fast track, winning four consecutive fights in 2020 and 2021. However, he was bested by Belal Muhammad last year and ended 2022 with a knockout loss at the hands of Geoff Neal.
He has made quite a splash since his arrival in the promotion, scoring 13 welterweight finishes. That number places him second all-time, while his eight post-fight bonuses are third-most.
Vicente Luque Was A Finish Machine
While he was pushing his record to 21-7-1, Luque was racking up stoppage wins. He ended Niko Price in the third and landed a knee that stopped Randy Brown in the second. In 2021, though, he took it to a new level.
At UFC 260, Luque submitted Tyron Woodley with a D’arce choke in the first round and did the exact same to Michael Chiesa a few months later. Both earned him fight-night bonuses.
Luque also put together a six-fight win streak between 2017-19, besting the likes of Chad Laprise, Bryan Barberena and Mike Perry.
In 2017, Luque went the distance with Leon Edwards, proving his worth early on inside the Octagon. He made his promotional debut back in 2015, falling to Michael Graes before earning his first win later that year with a finish of Hayder Hassan that resulted in his first bonus performance.
Rafael Dos Anjos Is Quite The Formidable Foe
The 38-year-old dos Anjos, a former lightweight champion, returned to the welterweight division last December. He earned a second round submission victory over Barberena, improving to 3-1 over his last four.
Dos Anjos is a veteran of the main event stage, going the distance with the likes of Renato Moicano, Chiesa and Edwards in recent bouts. Overall, he owns 32 victories, with 16 coming by way of finish.
Back in 2015, he captured the UFC title with a decision win over Anthony Pettis at UFC 185. He defended the belt vs. Donald Cerrone before losing it to Eddie Alvarez in 2016.
Dos Anjos has squared off with the likes of Khabib Nurmagomedov, Benson Henderson, Nate Diaz and Robbie Lawler.
