LAS VEGAS — For the higher a part of a yr, Vicente Luque wasn’t certain if his profession had come to an unceremonious finish on the tender age of 31. Luque not solely misplaced his second in a row on Aug. 6, 2022, when he was crushed up by Geoff Neal, he almost had his profession ended.
Submit-fight testing that night time confirmed that Luque suffered a bleed on the mind, what is thought medically as a subdural hematoma. A lot of boxers who’ve died within the ring did so after struggling a subdural hematoma.
The Nevada Athletic Fee suspended Luque medically for a yr after the battle, and because it didn’t reinstate him after the yr was up, it was in impact a everlasting ban.
Luque, although, needed to battle once more. Nevada fee docs not solely rigorously examined him and located him match to battle, however the fee sought outdoors experience. It had him see an impartial neurologist and an impartial neurosurgeon, each of whom vouched for him.
So, he accepted the principle occasion of UFC Vegas 78 reverse former light-weight champion Rafael dos Anjos on Saturday at Apex in anticipation of being reinstated earlier this month. The suspension was lastly lifted throughout battle week.
Commissioner Dr. David Watson and government director Jeff Mullen spoke to Yahoo Sports activities previous to the battle to level out the extent the fee went to earlier than the battle to ensure Luque confronted no larger danger than another fighter.
Watson informed Yahoo Sports activities there may be nothing within the medical literature that arbitrarily prohibits a fighter from competing after a subdural hematoma, however for probably the most half, it’s been a profession ender.
Luque had his considerations as he walked to the cage and notably when he was first hit. However he survived that and went on to grind out a troublesome five-round determination victory. He gained 49-46 and 48-47 twice on the judges’ playing cards in a exceptional show of braveness and toughness, then was taken to the hospital for precautionary causes and didn’t attend the post-fight information convention.
“I by no means have feared something, however I feared by no means doing this once more,” Luque stated within the Octagon after the battle. “For all of you on the market watching who don’t imagine in miracles any extra, I’m proof of that, [that they exist]. I labored my ass off and thank God, he healed me and he restored me.”
Each fighter has nerves earlier than a bout. There’s a pure insecurity that exists in all of us and going out to battle one other particular person in entrance of the world leaves an athlete uncovered in a tough method.
However preventing whereas realizing the importance of a bleed on the mind, what had occurred to so many different courageous warriors, after which nonetheless making that stroll takes a particular breed of an individual.
“I imply, it’s terrifying,” stated Cub Swanson, who defeated Hakeem Dawodu by unanimous determination within the co-main occasion.
Swanson had a horrible harm to the left facet of his face that required surgical procedure. He had plates inserted into his face as a part of the restore, and admitted it was exhausting when he made the stroll to the Octagon after that.
“After that you simply’re like, you’re like, ‘Yeah, I can do that. I can do it,’” he stated. “That’s the craziness of what we do. However then while you’re backstage, you are like, ‘You higher do that. You higher do that. It actually creeps in then.”
Luque acquired hit with a crisp proper hand early within the battle and acted as if it was nothing massive.
At that time, it was simply one other battle. However Luque had his doubts.
“I didn’t understand how I used to be going to react,” he stated. “[At one point], I assumed, ‘OK, I’m high quality, however I don’t wish to get hit any extra.’”
He managed to not solely survive however win at dos Anjos’ sport. And now, after a yr of questioning whether or not he’d ever have the ability to do what he loves and what he does to assist his household, he’s now considering championship.
He desires to battle somebody within the prime 5 with the objective of getting a title shot.
“I’ve wanted to evolve to succeed in a better stage and I’m going to proceed to do this,” he stated.
The actual fact he carried out in addition to he did underneath the strain that needed to be crushing is exceptional. He’s a protracted shot to win a title, however after he overcame this, who’s to doubt him pulling one thing as simple as a championship run off?