UFC on ESPN: Luque vs. dos Anjos
| Company type | Mixed martial arts event |
|---|---|
| Industry | Sports entertainment |
| Founded | August 12, 2023 |
| Headquarters | Enterprise, Nevada , United States |
| Parent | Ultimate Fighting Championship |
UFC on ESPN: Luque vs. dos Anjos—also referred to as UFC Vegas 78 and UFC on ESPN 51'—was a mixed martial arts competition organized by the Ultimate Fighting Championship on August 12, 2023, held at the UFC Apex facility located in Enterprise, Nevada, United States.
Background
Originally expected to headline UFC Fight Night: Holm vs. Bueno Silva, the welterweight clash featuring former UFC Lightweight Champion Rafael dos Anjos against Vicente Luque was postponed and ultimately served as the main event for this card.
Chris Daukaus was scheduled to make his light heavyweight debut versus Khalil Rountree Jr. at UFC 289, but an injury forced his withdrawal; this matchup was then rescheduled for the current event.
A bantamweight contest between Gaston Bolaños and Marcus McGhee was initially arranged; however, following Bolaños's withdrawal, JP Buys stepped in as his replacement.
In the lightweight division, Mike Breeden was set to compete against Lando Vannata, but after Vannata pulled out in early August, Terrance McKinney accepted the fight on short notice.
Da'Mon Blackshear was slated to meet Brady Hiestand at bantamweight; with Hiestand medically unable to continue, Dana White's Contender Series alum Jose Johnson took his place.
During the weigh-ins, both Tafon Nchukwi and Josh Fremd failed to make the middleweight limit, exceeding it by 3.5 and 3 pounds, respectively. Their bouts proceeded at catchweight with fines imposed, which were awarded to their opponents A.J. Dobson and Jamie Pickett.
Bonus awards
The following athletes earned $50,000 bonuses:
- Fight of the Night: No award given.
- Performance of the Night: Khalil Rountree Jr., Iasmin Lucindo, Marcus McGhee, and Da'Mon Blackshear
Aftermath
This event matched a UFC record by featuring seven finishes in the first round within a single event.