The main event of UFC Vegas 51 sees a high-level welterweight matchup between Vicente Luque and Belal Muhammad. The fight is a rematch as the two fought a few years ago as they were on the come-up in the UFC. Muhammad has been labeled a grappler after his last fight whilst Luque is known as a powerful striker with submission skills. The welterweight division is stacked with talent at the top so getting a title shot after this fight will be tough. The winner will still find themselves in the top-5 and most likely one win away from a chance at gold. The card itself is not great but the main event is excellent. The winner will be a top contender at welterweight and it will be hard to deny them a spot at the top of the division.
Vicente Luque is one of the most dangerous welterweights in the UFC and he has the right style to back it up. The Brazilian is primarily a striker but he is more well-rounded than people give him credit for. Luque had the opportunity to break out as a top welterweight but was unable to pass the Stephen Thompson test. Submission wins over Tyron Woodley and Michael Chiesa helped him enter the top-5 and now he's looking to grab another big win. The first fight with Belal Muhammad ended very quickly as the Chicago-based fighter threw a kick and got caught with a left hook. The two have evolved since the fight and the quick finish only lets us know that the Brazilian is capable of finishing the fight.
Belal Muhammad has been on an impressive win streak the past few years and he's looking to prove he's a top-5 welterweight against Vicente Luque. The Chicago-based fighter has earned a reputation as a grappler because of his last fight against Stephen Thompson. The truth is it's not that simple, he's capable of changing his style depending on the opponent he is facing. Muhammad is not a finisher and he likes to beat his opponents with a grinding style and a round-by-round approach. He is well-rounded and can take damage well. It will have to be seen what style he attempts to use against Luque considering the way the first fight went and the submission the Brazilian has. This fight is very important for him to determine just where he stands at the top of the welterweight division.
Here are the UFC Vegas 51 odds, featuring our Luque-Muhammad prediction, courtesy of FanDuel.
UFC Vegas 51 Odds: Luque-Muhammad Odds
Vicente Luque (-178)
Belal Muhammad (+150)
How the fight will end:
Knockout (+180)
Submission (+270)
Decision (+105)
How Vicente Luque Wins The Fight At UFC Vegas 51
Vicente Luque is a very well-rounded fighter with many avenues to find the finish. Winning a decision isn't something he does often and the fight being five rounds means there are a lot of questions about his cardio. He said before the fight that he plans on fighting with the same pace and pressure as he normally does so going the distance isn't likely. Belal Muhammad's game plan will factor into how Luque can win the fight. A grappling and takedown-heavy approach will lead to openings for submissions and the Brazilian loves a good front choke. He is an excellent counter striker and Muhammad has struggled with counter strikers in his losses. A big left hook from Luque will be the gamechanger and the Brazilian has the right style to give the Chicago-based fighter problems. The Brazilian finds the knockout in the second round.
How Belal Muhammad Wins The Fight At UFC Vegas 51
Belal Muhammad is not afraid to do what it takes to win a fight and that's going to be important here. His leg kicks are going to be important and the heavy grappling-based approach will help to wear Vicente Luque down. Luque is a much better grappler than Stephen Thompson so this fight should look a lot different even if the game plan is similar. Being wary of the counters is going to be huge for Muhammad. He'll look to drag Luque into deep waters to test his cardio and find a finish late. How his cardio holds up is going to be interesting since he has never gone five rounds before. Muhammad will look to clinch and combine it with his wrestling in order to wear down the Brazilian. Muhammad uses his grinding style to earn a hard-fought decision.
Final Luque-Muhammad Prediction & Pick
Vicente Luque is going to look to use his footwork and push the pace to find the counters early. Belal Muhammad will most likely test his striking and pepper leg kicks before making a move to clinch against the fence. Luque always pushes a tough pace early so Muhammad will be prepared to wear him down. The fight goes into the second round where Luque starts to land big counters and eventually finds the finish by knockout. Muhammad won't make it easy but Luque has the right style to beat him.
Final Luque-Muhammad Pick: Vicente Luque wins by knockout in the second round.
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