Vicente Luque has been cleared to fight in his upcoming UFC main event after a special hearing during by the Nevada Athletic Commission.
Fighter licensing and re-licensing applications are typically approved in waves, as was the case for 72 other fighters during Tuesday’s monthly meeting. Luque, however, was singled out and needed special approval due to what the commission revealed was a brain hemorrhage stemming from his August 2022 TKO loss to Geoff Neal.
While the bout was not specifically mentioned as the cause of the brain bleed during the meeting, NAC executive director Jeff Mullen later confirmed that detail to MMA Junkie.
The NAC unanimously approved Luque, 31, to compete again after he received what was deemed to be sufficient medical clearance.
“He suffered a brain bleed (a year ago),” NAC executive director Jeff Mullen said. “He had a suspension of one year. He had to bring before the commission clearance from a neurosurgeon and a neurologist independently who recommended he be licensed. We have that material. … I have faith in our doctors.”
Luque (21-9-1 MMA, 14-5 UFC) is scheduled to headline UFC on ESPN 51 against former lightweight champ Rafael dos Anjos (32-14 MMA, 21-12 UFC) in a welterweight clash on Aug. 12 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
In a recent interview with Middle Easy, Luque did not specifically mention the brain bleed, but he explained how he was required to undergo additional medical testing in order to return to competition. That could be why, according to Luque, his bout vs. dos Anjos was moved from July to August.
“I’m not 100 percent sure why it moved,” Luque said. “But I believe part of it was kind of the commission wanted me to get some more exams and get cleared since my last fight because I got suspended six months. I was cleared to fight in February but still they wanted some more exams. (We’re) just making sure I’m 100 percent. I do feel 100 percent, so I’m sure that everything is going to be good. They wanted to wait maybe a year after my last fight.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 51.
