UFC fights in the APEX in Las Vegas are arguably the most unique experience you can have watching combat sports. Everything from being able to hear corners yelling out coaching tips, hearing every shot land, and overall just the intimacy of it all.
This main event this weekend between Vicente Luque and Rafael Dos Anjos is a fan-friendly matchup where we will get to see violence collide with technique in the perfect mix of them both. Both fighters are outside looking into the contenders of the welterweight division; an impressive performance on Saturday night can move them into an even bigger fight later this year.
Vicente Luque – Is This a Must-Win for Luque?
Luque is one of the most exciting fighters to watch on the entire UFC roster. He has been in the octagon since 2015, fighting the best like Belal Muhammad, Leon Edwards, Jalin Turner, Bryan Barberena, Mike Perry, Wonderboy Thompson, Tyron Woodley, Michael Chiesa, and Geoff Neal. Listing those names out should give you an idea of how good this guy is.
At only age 31, losing his last two bouts in the fashion, he did makes this fight even more important. Is a loss going to take him out of the UFC? No. But personally, for himself and his own career path after this weekend, how he performs will weigh heavily on him.
He is getting over a lengthy medical suspension after taking some serious damage in the Geoff Neal fight last year, so his confidence is a big factor this weekend. Hopefully, we see the normal Luque taking chances and always looking to finish the fight at any moment.
Rafael Dos Anjos – More Dangerous at Welterweight
Dos Anjos is seemingly on the downswing of his career at the age of 38, but he has shown he can still fight at a high level. He looks really good at welterweight physically, and that translates a lot to the grappling aspect of MMA. He seems stronger and more dominant when he gets his hands on an opponent at 170 lbs.
A win over Luque would prove that he can compete with anyone else in the division because Luque has the power and speed, along with being in his athletic prime. This is a massive opportunity for Dos Anjos to secure a fight with title implications in his next appearance before calling it quits on his historic MMA career.
Luque vs. Dos Anjos Pick and Prediction
After taking a lot of extra time breaking down this matchup between the different styles that both Luque and Dos Anjos bring to the octagon, this fight is truly a 50/50 bout. There are so many ways either of these guys can win this fight on Saturday night; it’s impossible to be sure.
Our official prediction is that Vicente Luque will catch Dos Anjos in the middle rounds with a big punch and then finish the fight on the ground. This all depends on how focused and confident he is this weekend, but assuming he’s been able to heal mentally after a year away, Luque has the tools to get the job done.
Putting pressure on Dos Anjos and making him make a mistake up against the cage will be the key for Luque. Luque framing you up against the cage is not where you want to be, and that is somewhere Dos Anjos can find himself if he doesn’t start fast.
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