UFC on ESPN: Luque vs. dos Anjos
{{short description|UFC mixed martial arts event in 2023}}
{{Infobox MMA event
|name= UFC on ESPN: Luque vs. dos Anjos
|image= Correct_UFC_Fight_Night_227_poster.jpg
|promotion= Ultimate Fighting Championship
|date= {{start date|2023|08|12}}
|venue= UFC Apex
|city= Enterprise, Nevada, United States
|gate=
|previousevent= UFC on ESPN: Sandhagen vs. Font
|followingevent= UFC 292: Sterling vs. O'Malley
}}
UFC on ESPN: Luque vs. dos Anjos (also known as UFC Vegas 78 and UFC on ESPN 51) was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on August 12, 2023, at the UFC Apex facility in Enterprise, Nevada, part of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Area, United States.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/5/11/23720092/rafael-dos-anjos-vs-vicente-luque-postponed-until-august-originally-slated-headline-ufc-card-july-15|title=Rafael dos Anjos vs. Vicente Luque postponed to Aug. 12 UFC event|publisher=mmafighting.com|author=Damon Martin|date=2023-05-11|access-date=2023-05-12}}
Background
A welterweight bout between former UFC Lightweight Champion Rafael dos Anjos and Vicente Luque was briefly rumored to headline UFC Fight Night: Holm vs. Bueno Silva.{{Cite web|url=https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2023/04/ufc-news-vicente-luque-vs-rafael-dos-anjos-headlines-fight-night-july-15|title=Vicente Luque vs. Rafael dos Anjos headlines UFC Fight Night on July 15|publisher=mmajunkie.usatoday|author=Staff|date=2023-04-29|access-date=2023-04-29}} However, the pair was moved to this date and served as the headliner.
Chris Daukaus was expected to make his light heavyweight debut against Khalil Rountree Jr. at UFC 289, but withdrew in early June due to injury.{{Cite web|url=https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2023/06/ufc-289-news-chris-daukaus-injury-khalil-rountree|title=Chris Daukaus out of UFC 289 due to injury|publisher=mmajunkie.usatoday.com|author=Nolan King|date=2023-06-02|access-date=2023-06-02}} The bout was rescheduled for this event.{{Cite web|url=https://cagesidepress.com/2023/06/07/chris-daukaus-vs-khalil-rountree-jr-shifts-august-12-ufc-event/|title=Chris Daukaus vs. Khalil Rountree Jr. shifts to August 12 UFC event|publisher=cagesidepress.com|author=Jay Anderson|date=2023-06-07|access-date=2023-06-07}}
A bantamweight bout between Gaston Bolaños and Marcus McGhee was scheduled for this event.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sportskeeda.com/mma/news-breaking-gaston-bolanos-set-fight-marcus-mcghee-ufc-event-august|title=Breaking: Gaston Bolaños set to fight Marcus McGhee at UFC event in August|publisher=sportskeeda.com|author=Giancarlo Aulino|date=2023-06-06|access-date=2023-07-13}} However, Bolaños withdrew due to undisclosed reasons and was replaced by JP Buys.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sportskeeda.com/mma/rumor-breaking-jp-buys-set-fight-marcus-mcghee-ufc-vegas-78-latter-s-scheduled-bout-falls-apart|title=BREAKING: JP Buys set to fight Marcus McGhee at UFC Vegas 78 after latter's scheduled bout falls apart|publisher=sportskeeda.com|author=Johny Payne|date=2023-07-01|access-date=2023-07-03}}
Mike Breeden was expected to face Lando Vannata in a lightweight bout at the event.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/5/12/23721856/lando-vannata-vs-mike-breeden-set-for-ufc-event-on-august-12|title=Lando Vannata vs. Mike Breeden set for UFC event on August 12|publisher=mmafighting.com|author=Newswire|date=2023-05-12|access-date=2023-05-13}} However, Vannata pulled out in early August and was replaced by Terrance McKinney.{{Cite web|url=https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2023/08/ufc-espn-51-news-lando-vannata-vs-mike-breeden-canceled|title=Lando Vannata off UFC on ESPN 51 due to injury|publisher=mmajunkie.usatoday.com|author=Nolan King|date=2023-08-02|access-date=2023-08-03}}{{Cite web|url=https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2023/08/ufc-espn-51-terrance-mckinney-vs-mike-breeden-oren-hodak|title=Terrance McKinney steps in on short notice at UFC on ESPN 51, says manager|publisher=mmajunkie.usatoday.com|author=Nolan King|date=2023-08-03|access-date=2023-08-03}}
Da'Mon Blackshear was expected to face Brady Hiestand in a bantamweight bout at the event.{{cite web|title=Brady Hiestand vs Da'Mon Blackshear Reported for UFC Vegas 78|url=https://www.itnwwe.com/mma/brady-hiestand-vs-damon-blackshear-reported-ufc-vegas-78/|publisher=itnwwe.com|author=Vipin Raghuwanshi|date=2023-06-23|access-date=2023-08-08}} However, Hiestand pulled out in early August due to a medical issue and was replaced by Dana White's Contender Series alum Jose Johnson.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mmafighting.com/2023/8/8/23824738/contender-series-veteran-jose-johnson-steps-in-to-face-damon-blackshear-at-ufc-vegas-78|title=Contender Series veteran Jose Johnson steps in to face Da’Mon Blackshear at UFC Vegas 78|publisher=mmafighting.com|author=Damon Martin|date=2023-08-08|access-date=2023-08-08}}
At the weigh-ins, Tafon Nchukwi and Josh Fremd missed weight. Nchukwi weighed in at 189.5 pounds and Fremd weighed in at 189 pounds, three and a half pounds and three pounds over the middleweight non-title fight limit respectively. Both of their bouts proceeded at catchweight and each was fined an undisclosed percentage of their purse, which went to their opponents A.J. Dobson and Jamie Pickett respectively.{{Cite web|url=https://www.mmafighting.com/platform/amp/2023/8/11/23828799/ufc-vegas-78-weigh-in-results-rafael-dos-anjos-and-vicente-luque-on-point-two-fighters-miss-badly|title=UFC Vegas 78 weigh-in results: Rafael dos Anjos and Vicente Luque on point, two fighters miss badly|publisher=mmafighting.com|author=Alexander K. Lee|date=2023-08-11|access-date=2023-08-11}}
Results
{{MMAevent}}
{{MMAevent card|Main card (ESPN / ESPN+)}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Welterweight
|def.
|Decision (unanimous) (49–46, 48–47, 48–47)
|5
|5:00
|
}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Featherweight
|def.
|Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28)
|3
|5:00
|
}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Light Heavyweight
|def.
|TKO (punches)
|1
|2:40
|
}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Women's Strawweight
|Iasmin Lucindo
|def.
|Submission (arm-triangle choke)
|2
|3:42
|
}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Catchweight (189.5 lb)
|A.J. Dobson
|def.
|Decision (unanimous) (29–28, 29–28, 29–28)
|3
|5:00
|
}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Catchweight (189 lb)
|Josh Fremd
|def.
|Decision (unanimous) (30–27, 30–27, 30–27)
|3
|5:00
|
}}
{{MMAevent card|Preliminary card (ESPN / ESPN+)|header=no}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Bantamweight
|Marcus McGhee
|def.
|JP Buys
|KO (punch)
|1
|2:19
|
}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Lightweight
|def.
|Mike Breeden
|TKO (punches)
|1
|1:25
|
}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Featherweight
|Isaac Dulgarian
|def.
|Francis Marshall
|TKO (elbows)
|1
|4:48
|
}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Heavyweight
|Martin Buday
|def.
|Submission (kimura)
|1
|4:11
|
}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Women's Strawweight
|Jaqueline Amorim
|def.
|TKO (elbows and punches)
|3
|3:41
|
}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Bantamweight
|Da'Mon Blackshear
|def.
|Jose Johnson
|Submission (twister)
|1
|3:47
|
}}
{{MMAevent bout
|Women's Flyweight
|Luana Santos
|def.
|Juliana Miller
|TKO (punches)
|1
|3:41
|
}}
{{MMAevent end|notes=yes}}
Bonus awards
The following fighters received $50,000 bonuses.{{Cite web|url=https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/lists/ufc-espn-51-las-vegas-post-fight-bonuses-50000-damon-blackshear-twister-submission-knockout|title=UFC on ESPN 51 bonuses: Da'Mon Blackshear twists his way to $50K|publisher=mmajunkie.usatoday.com|author=Matt Erickson|date=2023-08-12|access-date=2023-08-13}}
- Fight of the Night: No bonus awarded.
- Performance of the Night: Khalil Rountree Jr., Iasmin Lucindo, Marcus McGhee, and Da'Mon Blackshear
Aftermath
See also
{{Portal|Martial Arts}}
References
{{Reflist}}
{{UFC Events}}
{{2023 in mixed martial arts}}
Category:Ultimate Fighting Championship events in Enterprise, Nevada