Vicente Luque and Geoff Neal squared off in a Welterweight contest earlier tonight (Sat., Aug. 6, 2022) from inside UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada. Following a bloody battle, Neal secured the third round stoppage win.
The two men opened with a big trade of power kicks. Luque pressed the action, but both men were landing right off the bat. About 90 seconds into the fight, a heavy left hand from Neal stunned his opponent! Neal tried to flurry and force the finish, but Luque cracked him back, so he backed off. Immediately, Luque was back on the offensive, putting together combinations and backing his foe towards the cage.
Neal’s counter left continued to land well from his back foot. Another left wobbled Luque! That cross was looking like a piston, and it fully dropped Luque with a minute remaining! The Brazilian regained his feet, but it was clear the damage was starting to get to him a bit. Neal wobbled his foe one last time to close off an incredible opening round.
Luque came out firing left kicks, looking to pin down that left hand a bit. Neal answered with some body kicks of his own. As a result of those kicks, Luque was walking into fewer Neal left hands and starting to find a bit more success. Luque landed a step-in elbow, prompting a successful takedown from Neal. Luque popped right back up into the clinch and landed another elbow. Neal returned the favor moments later, and then the two broke apart. Neal put together a nice combination along the fence. Luque ripped a pair of left hooks to the body, prompting a failed shot. Neal was starting to feel the wear of his opponent’s body work and heavy kicks.
It was still close, but the second was much better for “The Silent Assassin.”
Neal landed some early lefts in the face of Luque’s kicking assault early in the third. Jump knee scored for the Brazilian, but he ate another left. And another. The next left really rocked Luque and sent him falling into the fence! “Handz of Steel” followed him to the cage and released a massive combination. Even when Luque started firing back, Neal took a chance and stayed in the pocket.
As a result, he became the first man to stop Vicente Luque with strikes. Really, this was the best Neal has ever looked by quite a bit, and he scored the best win of his career. Incredible!
Result: Geoff Neal defeats Vicente Luque via third-round knockout
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