UFC Vegas 51: Vicente Luque vs. Belal Muhammad preview and prediction

UFC Vegas 51: Vicente Luque vs. Belal Muhammad preview and prediction

After an incredible UFC 273 card last weekend at Jacksonville, FL the UFC is back at the UFC Apex for UFC Vegas 51 headlined by the rematch between Vicente Luque and Belal Muhammad. This is a crucial match for the welterweight division as this top five bout will shape up the division for a potential future title challenger.

These two men first fought back in 2016 at UFC 205 when they were both young in their respective careers. Luque was heading into this fight as an underdog and proved a lot of doubters wrong. He knocked Muhammad down with a left hook and finished it off with ground and pound to get the TKO victory.

From being the third fight in the prelims to now headlining a card, they have both improved tremendously after their first fight.

UFC Vegas 51: Vicente Luque vs. Belal Muhammad  prediction

Muhammad is 10-1 since suffering his loss against Luque. He also had a NC against Leon Edwards during this time frame as well in 2021. Nine of those wins were by decision and one by submission when he defeated Takashi Sato via rear naked choke.

Muhammad brings a strong wrestling game with his improved striking. In his last two fights, Muhammad showcased his ability to land a lot of takedowns and defend takedowns too. In his fight with Demian Maia, he defended 20 out of 21 takedowns.

In his most recent fight with talented striker Stephen Thompson, Muhammad landed seven of nine takedowns with a total control time of 11:57. Two judges gave Muhammad a 30-26 unanimous decision with one judge giving it a 30-25 for how dominant he was in this fight.

Muhammad is not the only one riding a hot streak coming into this fight.

Luque has been 10-2 since beating Muhammad and most recently on a four-fight winning streak while finishing all of them. In this streak that he is on, Luque has finished the likes of Niko Price, Randy Brown, Tyron Woodley, and Michael Chiesa.

In his most recent fight at UFC 265 against Chiesa, Luque really showcased how dangerous he can be when stepping into the octagon. Chiesa successfully landed his first takedown and immediately got the back of Luque. Chiesa attempted two submissions that looked real deep, but then Luque broke off and flipped position. When transitioning on the ground, Luque found an opening for his D’Arce Choke that he loves doing and locked it in to get his fourth finish in-a-row.

Luque brings a diverse fighting style that is very hard for his opponents. His ability to strike is very good and has shown improvements as well. Mixing his shots to the body and head as well as attacking the legs too. On the ground, Luque is no joke as he is a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and has a very dangerous D’Arce Choke.

Muhammad is looking to get revenge from six years ago and has a good chance in doing so. The rematch will look a lot different as both men have tremendously improved their game and craft.

While the rematch at UFC Vegas 51 will be different, the result might not. Muhammad will look a lot better than last time but Luque might be too much to handle. The fight will start on the feet but when it goes to the ground, Luque can find an opening and quickly lock in a submission win.

Prediction: Luque by Submission

UFC Vegas 51: Vicente Luque vs. Belal Muhammad 2 takes place on Saturday, April 16, 2022, live from the UFC Apex. Follow along with FanSided MMA for all your news and highlights.