Top-ranked welterweights Vicente Luque and Michael Chiesa will go head-to-head on August 7. The aforementioned contenders are tasked with a slot on UFC 265. The PPV card is still coming together as a location and the headliner for the event is still undetermined as it stands.
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A bantamweight title fight between Amanda Nunes and Julianna Pena will take place at UFC 265. With the inclusion of Luque vs Chiesa (per Cage Side Press), the card is already stacking up, slowly but surely. Moreover, the scrap has high stakes as the winner will stand on the precipice of a title shot at welterweight.
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UFC 265: Vicente Luque vs Michael Chiesa
Luque, on a three-fight win streak, is coming off the biggest win of his pro career in his last fight. Vicente Luque bested former welterweight champion, Tyron Woodley, via submission in a chaotic back-and-forth war. He weathered Woodley’s early storm and then wobbled the former champ on route to a submission victory.
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LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – AUGUST 01: Vicente Luque celebrates after his TKO victory over Randy Brown in their welterweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on August 01, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
‘The Silent Assassin’ is a marauder in every sense of the word and his forward pressure is a thing of beauty. The stylistic clash against a grappling ace-like Chiesa will pose an interesting problem, especially in close range. It will boil down to who can impose their game plan once/if the fight gets out of the first round.
‘Maverick’ heading to the top
Michael Chiesa is on a four-fight win streak and defeated fellow top 10 contender Neil Magny in his last showcase. ‘Maverick’ Chiesa is coming into his own at welterweight and has already got the attention of the champion, Kamaru Usman. Luque is ranked one spot above him in the rankings and Chiesa will want to keep moving upward.
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INGLEWOOD, CA – DECEMBER 29: Michael Chiesa celebrates after defeating Carlos Condit in their welterweight bout during the UFC 232 event inside The Forum on December 29, 2018 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
However, the wait for a title shot is expected to be a long one. Dana White has said that Colby Covington is next for Usman. Additionally, Leon Edwards’ recent win over Nate Diaz means he’s likely in line after that with a ten-fight unbeaten streak. However, MMA is an unpredictable sport and both Luque and Chiesa will look to slide in.
What do you make of this bout?
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