Vicente Luque decisions Rafael dos Anjos in UFC Vegas 78 main event

A welterweight bout between tenth-ranked Vicente Luque and former lightweight champion Rafael do Anjos headlined Saturday’s UFC Vegas 78 fight card.

Luque (21-9-1) was coming off back-to-back losses and hoped to get back in the win column. Despite the losses, Luque was ranked tenth in the division. Dos Anjos (32-14) was coming off a win over Bryan Barberena in his last outing. He looked to jump back in the rankings with a win.

Dos Anjos switched stances early in the opening round.  Luque landed first with a kick to the body.  Dos Anjos pressured Luque and looked for a takedown.  They jockeyed for posting along the cage and exchanged knees to the body and legs.  Dos Anjos disengaged and unloaded punches which allowed Luque to rotate away.  Dos Anjos connected with a flying elbow and clinched.  Luque took Dos Anjos down.  Dos Anjos applied a guillotine choke but Luque escaped.  The round ended with Luque working to get dos Anjos to the canvas.  

Dos Anjos landed a kick to the body to start the second frame.  Dos Anjos worked to get Luque to the ground but Luque defended the attempt.  Luque briefly took dos Anjos down.  Anjos quickly got back to his feet but Luque worked to get another takedown.  Luque landed an elbow on the break.  The round ended with dos Anjos working for a takedown.

Luque lands his jab.  Dos Anjos is cut.  He delivers a kick to the body.  Dos Anjos turned up the pressure.  Luque takes do Anjos down and worked for a D’arce choke.  Dos Anjos escaped and Luque worked on a single-leg.  That’s how the round ended.  

Luque pressured dos Anjos in the fourth.  He closed the distance and looked for a takedown.  Dos Anjos defended the attempt but remained in the clinch.  Luque secured a takedown.  Dos Anjos quickly got back to his feet and the two separated.  Luque immediately clinched again.  They eventually separated and dos Anjos worked to take Luque down.  Luque worked for a rear-naked choke but the round ended.

They exchange jabs at the start of the final round. Dos Anjos clinched and Luque changed the position.  They separated and dos Anjos pressed forward.  They clinched along the fence and Luque took dos Anjos down.  Dos Anjos quickly got back to his feet.  They separated and dos Anjos went on the offense.  He took Luque down and hammered away with punches but it was likely too little too late.

The judges scored the fight for Luque by unanimous decision.  The scorecards read 49-46, 48–47, 48–47.