UFC Fight Night: Luque v dos Anjos main card picks & preview

The main card for UFC Fight Night: Luque vs dos Anjos features a mixture of young talent, legends of the sport, and several athletes dropping weight divisions in the hope of changing their fortunes. UFC Apex in Las Vegas will be packed to witness the fates of Cub Swanson, Chris Daukaus, and Iasmin Lucindo as they vie for performance and other bonuses.

Vicente Luque v Rafael dos Anjos

Vicente Luque vs Rafael dos Anjos

Two Brazilian welterweight guns face off in this weekend’s main event. See our in-depth Vicente Luque vs Rafael dos Anjos betting preview here.

Cub Swanson v Hakeem Dawodu

Cub Swanson vs Hakeem Dawodu

Despite a lengthy career that has included many wars, Cub Swanson (28-13-0) has a 3-2 record since 2019. The losses were both TKOs, resulting from a leg kick and a body kick – unusual stoppages. Low kicks aside, Swanson’s other career weakness has been submissions, and he has been finished on the mat seven times as a professional. The 39-year-old fights on pure heart, always leaves it all in the cage, and is a fan favourite due to a style that has been best described as “beautiful destruction”. He should have a willing striker standing opposite for this matchup, so we can expect another entertaining standup battle.

Hakeem Dawodu (13-3-1) is a former Muay Thai kickboxer who has recently fallen into the trap of leaving his fate in the hands of the judges. Seven of his last eight bouts have been decided via the scorecards, which can be risky given scoring irregularities. The 32-year-old started his career as a knockout artist and will need to recapture some of that aggression against a relentless opponent here. His kicks may prove decisive given the nature of Swanson’s most recent losses. We are expecting him to make the necessary adjustments to get the job done.

Khalil Rountree Jr v Chris Daukaus

Khalil Rountree Jr vs Chris Daukaus

After a round patch from 2018 to 2021 where his cardio let him down, Khalil Rountree Jr (12-5-0) has turned his fortunes around with three straight UFC wins. The kickboxer possesses an abundance of knockout power from long range with kicks and in close with devastating knees and elbows. The downside of this striking power is a gas tank that can run dry after an active opening round, and Rountree’s most effective strategy is to hunt for early finishing opportunities. He looks to have a willing dance partner in what should be a fast and furious encounter.

After suffering three successive KO losses at heavyweight, Chris Daukaus (12-6-0) drops to 205 pounds in the hope of saving his career. The Boston native always looked outsized and a bit flabby around the middle at heavyweight and should cut a more toned physique at light heavyweight. At his best, Daukaus is an effective brawler who knows how to close the show, and he’s racked up 11 wins via KO as a pro. He has only faced the judges on one occasion, and we can expect him to bite down on the mouthguard and swing heavy punches from the opening bell. Whether this risky approach pays dividends is debateable, however.

Polyana Viana v Iasmin Lucindo

Polyana Viana vs Iasmin Lucindo

Polyana Viana (13-5-0) is a proven finisher with a 3-1 UFC record since 2020. The Brazilian has five knockouts and eight submission wins to her name and has never won a fight via decision. Her record when going the distance stands at 0-4. Her exceptional ground game is complemented by solid striking technique, and the 31-year-old is coming off an impressive round one KO over Jinh Yu Frey that earned a Performance of the Night bonus. If she can replicate that effort, she looks tough to beat here.

Iasmin Lucindo (14-5-0) made her professional MMA debut at the tender age of 15, and the prodigy has racked up 19 fights at just 21. The Brazilian is 1-1 at UFC level, with both fights going to the judges after three tough rounds. Lucindo is gritty and produces solid output, while she should be at an advantage the longer this bout continues. This is an excellent stylistic matchup that might produce fireworks and a Fight of the Night contest. Lucindo’s talent is still untapped, and she is favoured to prevail over a more seasoned opponent, but we are sticking with experience here.

AJ Dobson v Tafon Nchukwi

AJ Dobson vs Tafon Nchukwi

AJ Dobson (6-2-0) made his UFC debut in 2022, losing by unanimous decision to Jacob Malkoun. His next bout ended in the same manner after Dobson’s shin was beaten raw by Armen Petrosyan, resulting in a nasty abscess that took months to heal. The 31-year-old now needs to show his talents or risk being cut from the roster. He appears to possess the necessary athleticism but needs to produce a well-rounded performance across the length of the fight to secure his maiden UFC victory.

Tafon Nchukwi (6-3-0) drops from light heavyweight after successive KO losses at 205 pounds to Azamat Murzakanov and Carlos Ulberg. The Cameroonian fighter will cut a leaner figure at 185 pounds, and his power shots should present more danger in the middleweight division. He has four knockout wins on his record and will be hoping to land some heavy leather in the opening minutes of this contest. Still, we are expecting Dobson to show his true colours and grab the win.

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