UFC welterweight contender Vicente Luque will return to the Octagon with humility after nearly having his career taken away from him.
Luque will face former UFC lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos in a welterweight headliner on August 12th in Las Vegas. He returns after a knockout loss to Geoff Neal last August and is looking to get back in the welterweight title picture.
In preparation for his return, Luque had to undergo tests by neurologists to get clearance from the Nevada State Athletic Commission to compete. He suffered a brain bleed in the loss to Neal last August, as NSAC Executive Director Jeff Mullen told MMA Junkie this week.
Luque and dos Anjos were supposed to fight earlier this month before the matchup was rescheduled for August 12th. The reasoning was likely due in part to the drastic testing he underwent to make sure his hemorrhage had fully healed.
Vicente Luque Returns Next Month For UFC Fight Night Headliner
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NSAC unanimously approved the return of the 31-year-old Luque in recent days.
Luque appeared on the fast track to a title shot before back-to-back losses to Belal Muhammad and Neal. He defeated the likes of Tyron Woodley, Michael Chiesa, and Randy Brown in 2020 and 2021 before his recent struggles.
Concerns over brain injuries have been a major talking point in combat sports in recent years. Luckily, Luque was able to fully recover from the injury and resume his athletic career.
Luque is still in the physical prime of his career and he’ll look to get back on track when he welcomes dos Anjos back to the Octagon next month.
