Author: Chandra Moulee Das
Middleweight fight – Vicente Luque (BRAZIL) vs. Rafael Dos Anjos (BRAZIL)
Vicente Luque failed to maintain his reputation as a ruthless finisher, but he revealed significant new facets of his strategy as he triumphed over a year of adversity. Demonstrating a comprehensive set of skills, Luque effectively neutralized Rafael dos Anjos’ game plan to secure a unanimous decision victory (49-46, 48-47, 48-47) in the UFC Vegas 78 main card fight.
Both fighters were driven by substantial motivations. Luque had taken a break for a year after suffering a brain haemorrhage during his first career knockout loss to Geoff Neal. Meanwhile, Dos Anjos, the former lightweight champion, had made a definitive transition to middleweight, motivated by the aspiration of regaining his status as world champion.
Vicente Luque defeats Rafael Dos Anjos via Unanimous Decision at UFC Vegas 78
(@UFCEspanol) pic.twitter.com/KYqGpUclOG
– The Octagon Obsessed (@octagonobsessed) August 13, 2023
Having finished 13 opponents in 14 fights in the UFC, Luque boasts the third-highest finishing percentage in UFC history. However, defeating an experienced veteran like Dos Anjos represented a formidable challenge. Dos Anjos’ strategy was fairly straightforward: employ punching techniques to break through Luque’s defences and execute takedowns against the younger, tougher striker.
Not only did Luque show remarkable progress in his takedown defense, but he also demonstrated remarkable conduct and maturity in the execution of his own takedowns. It wasn’t until the fifth round that RDA began to unleash his punches, showing surprising effectiveness, but the effort proved to be too little, too late, as Luque landed the five best takedowns of his career.
Women’s strawweight – Polyana Viana (BRAZIL) vs. Iasmin Lucindo (BRAZIL)
In the co-main event of the card, Iasmin Lucindo established her presence with a second-round submission victory over Polyana Viana, after failing to score finishes in her two previous fights.
In the first round, the two fighters faced each other standing in the center of the octagon, which quickly turned into a grappling match with minimal damage. The dynamic changed in the second round, when Lucindo landed a surprising blow that significantly compromised Viana’s position, ending the fight on the ground with an arm-triangle submission at 3:42 minutes.
🔥 Youth and talent take the spotlight at #UFCVegas78!
The youngest woman on the roster at just 21, Iasmin Lucindo scores an impressive submission win over Polyana Viana. 🇧🇷💪 #WMMA #UFC pic.twitter.com/G9TVszoa29
– Women’s MMA Rankings (@WMMARankings) August 13, 2023