Midnight Mania! UFC Vegas 78 headliner Vicente Luque talks coming back from brain hemorrhage: ‘Better than 100%’

Welcome to Midnight Mania!

In case you’re just a little bit nervous about UFC Vegas 78’s headlining match between Vicente Luque and Rafael dos Anjos, which is scheduled to go down this weekend (Sat., Aug. 12, 2023) on the UFC Apex, you’re in all probability not alone. Luque has been on the sidelines for a couple of yr now, and the rationale for his layoff is straightforward: he suffered a brain hemorrhage in his loss to Geoff Neal final summer time. That’s a scary analysis, removed from a typical MMA harm.

The No. 10-ranked Welterweight spent a lot of that point getting examined and dealing to get cleared to compete once more. Lastly, he’s allowed to struggle as soon as extra, and Luque believes that he’ll be again higher than ever.

“That was positively unlucky, however I used to be one hundred pc blessed to have the ability to get well very nicely,” Luque mentioned throughout Thursday’s media occasion (transcription through MMAJunkie). “Because the first day, proper after the struggle after I obtained the information, they did all of the testing, all of the exams and every part went nicely. My physique was recovering.

“Then the UFC, my supervisor Ali Abdelaziz, they had been all the time with me on this course of making an attempt to get one of the best info for me to verify I used to be going to get totally recovered and be capable to compete. Now I’m again and one hundred pc. I’d even say I’m higher than one hundred pc. I really feel a significantly better fighter than I used to be earlier than. I’m positively blessed.”

Although Neal was the first man to knock out Luque, the Brazilian is thought for getting in wars. He’s taken severe harm quite a few instances, like in his fights with Bryan Barberena, Mike Perry, and Niko Value. He might have gained all of these contests, however Luque has by no means been identified for his defensive acumen.

Maybe that adjustments this weekend? In line with Luque, he’s now extra cautious together with his sparring depth, and the result’s extra technical work and enchancment.

“Even the best way I spar has modified,” Luque mentioned. “It’s way more technical and I understand how to work in a means the place I’m not stepping into brawls in sparring anymore. Additionally, being with the workforce at Kill Cliff, there are such a lot of high-level guys that they know tips on how to respect that. We push exhausting bodily cardio, however we don’t should be hitting one another and hurting one another.”

Insomnia

What is that this? Why have I by no means beforehand seen it? Pay Michael “Venom” Web page no matter he desires.

This edit additionally made me giggle out loud.

Dan Hooker misplaced a pair fights then determined to embrace inked life heavy.

MMA is solely an especially roundabout technique to change into an actual property agent or cop.

A top-tier tweet from Sodiq Yusuff.

Actually, Charles Rosa lasted on the UFC roster quite a bit longer than most of us would in all probability have predicted, so good for him.

A wild serving of scrambled legs!

Slips, rips, and KO clips

Prospect for everybody to control: Australia’s Isaac Thomson. At 21 years of age, child is a extremely technical striker with nice general talent.

Take heed to this one with the audio on. Preventing isn’t all hashtags and retweets …

Simply a fully insane comeback win!

Random Land

A protracted clip, however one nicely price watching for my part.

Midnight Music: People rock, 2003

Sleep nicely Maniacs! Extra martial arts insanity is all the time on the best way.