Vicente Luque was able to show off his clinch work and wrestling ability to get the better of Rafael dos Anjos toniht in the main event of UFC On ESPN 51.
Round One:
The welterweight headliner is underway in Las Vegas!
Hard body kick for Luque. Now a lighter one from Dos Anjos. Luque paws out with the right hand and then tries a head kick that’s blocked.
RDA with a punch combo but doesn’t quite find his mark. Nice punch for dos Anjos. Now RDA clinches up looking for a takedown as he goes around to the back, but they start to jockey for position along the Octagon. They continue to reverse each other in the clinch here as we reach the half-way mark in the opening round.
Elbow strike and more behind it from RDA, but that enables Luque to escape. Head kick attempt from Luque is blocked. Left hand lands for RDA. He connects with another now.
Body kick for RDA. Right hands from Luque as he comes forward and then rips to the body nicely.
Couple of light right hands from Luque. Body kick for him. Superman elbow from RDA and ten into the clinch against the cage.
Luque turns into him and goes for a takedown, landing it. However RDA gets him in a guillotine choke. He’s cranking on it, but Luque hangs on in there and then scrambles to get back on top and out of danger for now. He’s looking for offense, but RDA manages to stand. Luque remains clinched up as the round draws to a close.
Round Two:
Body punch from Luque. RDA with a body kick. Now Luque lands one, but RDA briefly caught that one.
Leg kick for Luque. He lands a right hand as he steps into clinch, but RDA responds by driving him forward into the cage. Luque defending a takedown and then reverses the clinch. Hook from Luque on the way out.
Probing right hand from Luque. Jab for RDA. Nice right hand for Luque. RDA drives into a takedown against the cage and goes down, but pops straight back up.
Good right hand from RDA back in the clinch. Now Luque lands a takedown and it’s RDA’s turn to get back to his feet quickly. Luque keeps him in the clinch though.
Luque ducks down trying to manufacture a takedown attempt. RDA trying to fight it off but ends up on his knees. Luque trying to suck his legs out from under him, but RDA denying it for now. For a moment Luque tries for a standing arm-triangle, but RDA escapes.
Luque lands a good elbow as they break apart. Kick from him and RDA is back in on a takedown attempt as the round ends.
Round Three:
Luque feeling out with the jab. Now a right hand. Nice body punch from him and then a jolting jab upstairs. Body kick lands nicely for RDA.
Dos Anjos with an uppercut as he closes distance into the clinch. They jockey for position against the cage. Elbow lands for RDA. Now Luque with a short elbow. Luque reverse the clinch and tries for a low single. He drags RDA down to a knee. Dos Anjos back up to his feet but Luque is thinking about another single-leg.
They break free to striking range. Nice left hand for RDA. Counter right hand for him as Luque was stepping into range.
Front kick to the body from Luque. Body kick for RDA. Jab for Luque. One-two for RDA. Body kick from Luque. Nice uppercut from Luque.
left hand for RDA and one in return from Luque. RDA drives into a takedown attempt and they go to the mat with Luque attempting to threaten with a submission. RDA scrambling out and are soon back up to their feet with Luque trying to work for a single-leg again.
Round Four:
Right hand from Luque as he presses forward. He lands a couple more punches. Head kick attempt is blocked. Right hands graze the target.
Luque wades into firing range to get in the clinch against the cage. Luque ducks down for a double-leg and lands it. RDA immediately up to one knee and hoping to stand. He is able to do so and gets away from the clinch.
RDA’s turn to go into the clinch now, but Luque reverse the position against the cage again. RDA reverses. They exchange knees, then more jockeying for position.
Finally they break free from the clinch. RDA firing off a few punches and then straight back into the clinch, but again Luque reverses the position.
Luque able to land a takedown and is hunting for a potential submission as the round ends.
Round Five:
RDA’s coaches urge him to go for a finish in the final round. Let’s see what happens.
Body kick for Luque. Jumping knee attempt from him doesn’t pay off. Luque does land a jab though. Now RDA with a few punches as he goes into the clinch, but Luque reverses him as has often been the case in the fight.
Eventually he tries for a takedown but it doesn’t pay off and they break free from each other soon after.
RDA with a couple of strikes. He punches back into the clinch and yet again finds himself being reversed quickly.
Luque with a double leg and gets RDA down to his knees, then straight back up. The same thing happens again. More jockeying for position and then back to striking range.
RDA fires off a few punches and almost goes back into the clinch then backs off. He threatens with a head kick attempt.
RDA starting to apply more pressure and it leads to him landing a takedown. He lands an elbow strike. A couple of right hands get through and we’re headed to the scorecards.
Decision:
This was a more steady, controlled performance from Luque than usual and it paid off for him, earning a unanimous decision victory (49-46, 48-47 x3).
