UFC Vegas 78 Main Event – Three Best Prop Bets
The Apex in Las Vegas will host a great matchup at UFC Vegas 78 Main Event. Two longtime UFC veterans, Vicente Luque and Rafael Dos Anjos, are set to square off in a welterweight bout. Cub Swanson and Hakeem Dawodu face off in the co-main event, where Swanson will try to put on a show for the fans, like always.
The action starts on ESPN at 4 p.m. EDT and the main card at 7 p.m. EDT. All odds shown are courtesy of DraftKings.
UFC Vegas 78 Main Event – Tale of the Tape
Vicente Luque has lost his last two fights to Belal Muhammad and Geoff Neal. He overcame a brain hemorrhage after the knockout loss to Neal that jeopardized his career. He is 31 years old and is 14-5 inside the UFC.
Rafael Dos Anjos won his last fight by submission over Bryan Barbarena. He lost to Rafael Fiziev in a main event in the bout prior. He is 38 years old and 21-12 inside the UFC, with most of his losses coming against some UFC greats.
Luque to Win by Decision +550
The matchup between Luque and Dos Anjos is a near toss-up. Both men have been around the sport for a long time and have racked up many minutes inside the octagon. Luque is typically a pressure fighter who is not afraid of eating a strike to land a strike.
He lands 5.49 significant strikes per minute while absorbing 5.51 strikes per minute. As shown below, Luque was taken down five times against Belal Muhammad, but he stuffed five other attempts and did not remain on the mat very long despite losing:
Dos Anjos may get him to the mat throughout five rounds, but he will not hold him there long. When Luque is striking with Dos Anjos, he will have a six-inch reach and a speed advantage.
The question mark surrounding Luque is his health after Geoff Neal knocked him down twice and finished him in the third round. It was his first knockout loss in his career, and it caused a brain hemorrhage.
It is hard to tell how the injury will affect him, but he says it has made his sparring much more technical, which could be bad for Dos Anjos. Luque should land cleanly on Dos Anjos from range, but may have trouble finishing the durable veteran.
Fight to Go the Distance +120
Neither man is prone to getting knocked out and is known for being durable. Luque has only won two fights by decision, but he will likely fight smarter than he has in the past. If he brawls less than usual, it could go the distance, especially against someone like Dos Anjos, who has never got submitted.
Dos Anjos has been knocked out four times in his career, but he should be competitive enough in this fight to avoid the knockout loss. Two of the most durable veterans of the UFC should have plenty in the tank to go the five rounds.
Luque to Win by Unanimous Decision +650
Luque has some advantages in the striking department that should help him overcome Dos Anjos’ wrestling. Even if Dos Anjos can take a round or two due to control time, Luque will get up and land heavy strikes from range. He can pick him apart from range with his massive reach advantage and coast to a victory.
The key in the fight is Luque’s takedown defense, which should be solid enough to keep this standing. Dos Anjos is a well-rounded fighter that uses his wrestling to control his opponent to land ground-and-pound. He lands 2.05 takedowns per three rounds with 35% accuracy. However, he may have a tough time holding Luque down
