Tag: Vicente Luque

Report – Rafael dos Anjos books UFC headliner in all-Brazilian return on July card

Rafael dos Anjos books UFC headliner against Vicente Luque in JulyFormer UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos is slated for a high-stakes welterweight matchup opposite top-ten-ranked welterweight contender Vicente Luque. First reported by MMA Fighting, both men are expected to make their first appearances of 2023 as part of a UFC Fight Night headliner on July 15. No other details regarding the event have been […]

Rafael dos Anjos books UFC headliner against Vicente Luque in July

Former UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos is slated for a high-stakes welterweight matchup opposite top-ten-ranked welterweight contender Vicente Luque.

First reported by MMA Fighting, both men are expected to make their first appearances of 2023 as part of a UFC Fight Night headliner on July 15. No other details regarding the event have been released by the promotion at this time. News of the matchup broke just hours after Rafael dos Anjos took to Twitter, confirming he had booked his ninth career main event with the promotion.

Currently ranked No. 9 in the lightweight division, the former titleholder is looking to gain some ground in the welterweight division after scoring a second-round submission against Bryan Barberena in December. Dos Anjos went 2-1 in 2022, securing a win over Renato Moicano while suffering a fifth-round knockout against fan-favorite Rafael Fiziev.

Rafael dos Anjos headlines opposite Vicente Luque

After dropping back-to-back bouts against Belal Muhammad and Geoff Neal last year, Vicente Luque is barely clinging onto his No. 10 ranking in the 170-pound division. Prior to the recent setbacks, the Brazilian knockout artist secured four-straight victories over Niko Price, Randy Brown, Tyron Woodley, and Michael Chiesa.

The UFC’s July 15 event is beginning to come together with four other matchups already announced for the summertime showcase. Those fights are as follows:

  • Walt Harris vs. Josh Parisian (heavyweight)
  • Azat Maksum vs. Tyson Nam (flyweight)
  • Alshee Evans-Smith vs. Ailin Perez (bantamweight)
  • Norma Dumont vs. Chelsea Chandler (featherweight)

Jack Della Maddalena believes a Vicente Luque matchup would be “one for the fans”

Jack Della Maddalena, Vicente LuqueUFC welterweight Jack Della Maddalena is interested in a fight with Vicente Luque. During an interview on The MMA Hour, Maddalena spoke about a potential scrap with Luque and how it would resonate with fans. He previously called for a fight with Luque during ESPN’s post-fight show after his UFC 284 win.  “I think it’ll […]

Jack Della Maddalena, Vicente Luque

UFC welterweight Jack Della Maddalena is interested in a fight with Vicente Luque.

During an interview on The MMA Hour, Maddalena spoke about a potential scrap with Luque and how it would resonate with fans. He previously called for a fight with Luque during ESPN’s post-fight show after his UFC 284 win. 

“I think it’ll make a cool fight. I think that’s one for the fans and I think the UFC would get behind that sort of a fight.” 

Luque is #9 in the welterweight rankings. He’s lost his last two fights to Geoff Neal and Belal Muhammad. He does have wins over Michael Chiesa, Tyron Woodley, Randy Brown, Niko Price, and Jalin Turner. 

Jack Della Maddalena Has Been On A Tear Since His UFC Debut

Maddalena is unbeaten in the UFC. He last secured a first-round submission win over Randy Brown on Feb.12 in his hometown of Perth, Australia. The finish earned him a $50,000 performance of the night bonus. After the win, he became the #14 ranked welterweight in the UFC. Maddalena made his first appearance on Dana White’s Contender Series in September 2021, where he earned a UFC contract. Since then, he’s finished his last four fights in the first round. He also went 3-0 during his rookie year in 2022. 

The 26-year-old Maddalena prefers to stay active in 2023. He said May might be the month for his return and second fight of the year. 

“I think at least three [fights] would be the goal. I was pretty happy with the schedule last year with three fights. I fight at the start of the year, mid-year, and then towards November. I can probably stick to that same sort of schedule and keep it rolling.”

UFC Vegas 59 Performance Bonuses

UFC Vegas 59 may have lost a few bouts during fight week, but the 10 fights that went ahead as scheduled delivered an action-packed card that didn’t include a single decision. The UFC had plenty of options to choose from for the night’s bes…

UFC Vegas 59 may have lost a few bouts during fight week, but the 10 fights that went ahead as scheduled delivered an action-packed card that didn’t include a single decision. The UFC had plenty of options to choose from for the night’s best performances. The promotion elected to go with a trio of Performance…

Continue Reading UFC Vegas 59 Performance Bonuses at MMA News.

Fighters React To Geoff Neal Finishing Luque With Vicious Combos

UFC welterweight contender Geoff Neal wasn’t buying all of the talks of Vicente Luque not being able to get knocked out in their UFC Vegas 59 clash. Neal put on arguably the best performance of his career against Luque at UFC Vegas 59. He used hi…

UFC welterweight contender Geoff Neal wasn’t buying all of the talks of Vicente Luque not being able to get knocked out in their UFC Vegas 59 clash. Neal put on arguably the best performance of his career against Luque at UFC Vegas 59. He used his boxing early and often to overwhelm Luque and control…

Continue Reading Fighters React To Geoff Neal Finishing Luque With Vicious Combos at MMA News.

Geoff Neal becomes first man to KO Vicente Luque in bloody back-and-forth – UFC Vegas 59 Highlights

Geoff NealIn a massive statement-making performance, Fortis MMA kickboxer, Geoff Neal turns in his best UFC performance to date — becoming the first competitor to finish New Jersey-born welterweight, Vicente Luque with strikes in the latter’s professional career, in tonight’s UFC Vegas 59 co-headliner. Neal, who recently snapped a run of two straight losses to both […]

Geoff Neal

In a massive statement-making performance, Fortis MMA kickboxer, Geoff Neal turns in his best UFC performance to date — becoming the first competitor to finish New Jersey-born welterweight, Vicente Luque with strikes in the latter’s professional career, in tonight’s UFC Vegas 59 co-headliner.

Neal, who recently snapped a run of two straight losses to both Stephen Thompson, and Neil Magny, with a close, split decision win over Santiago Ponzinibbio, becomes the first man to finish Luque with strikes tonight — bludgeoning the Kill Cliff FC staple over the course of three rounds.

Bloodying Luque on the feet and landing with ferocity on each occasion, Neal eventually got the ever-gritty #6 ranked Luque out of there in the third round of their co-main event slot, colliding with him at the Octagon fence, before launching a flurry of uppercut strikes, and felling Luque with a straight shot.

Following the victory, Neal called out Luque’s Kill Cliff FC teammate, one-time welterweight title challenger, Gilbert Burns next.

Below, catch the highlights from Geoff Neal’s KO win against Vicente Luque

Luque On Favored Fight Environment: “Not Too Much Intelligence”

UFC welterweight Vicente Luque is looking to return to his favored fight style when he makes his way back to the Octagon tonight. Prior to UFC Vegas 51 in April, Luque was riding an impressive four-fight win streak that included submissions victories o…

UFC welterweight Vicente Luque is looking to return to his favored fight style when he makes his way back to the Octagon tonight. Prior to UFC Vegas 51 in April, Luque was riding an impressive four-fight win streak that included submissions victories over former champion Tyron Woodley and Michael Chiesa in 2021. But while the…

Continue Reading Luque On Favored Fight Environment: “Not Too Much Intelligence” at MMA News.