UFC welterweight Vicente Luque was granted a license to fight in Nevada following a cerebral hemorrhage, subject to neurologist and neurosurgeon clearance and MRI confirmations, after losing to Geoff Neal.
Vicente Luque, a seasoned UFC welterweight fighter, received a license to fight in Nevada following a cerebral hemorrhage he suffered after his UFC Vegas 59 loss to Geoff Neal. Luque, aged 31, was delivered a blow that led to a knockout in the third round of the fight, which took place on August 6, 2022. As a result, he was given a minimum of a one-year suspension after suffering a brain bleed. Nevertheless, at a meeting of the Nevada Athletic Commission in Las Vegas on Tuesday, he applied for a fresh fighting license.
Complying with the requirements of his licensure, Luque was mandated to present clearance from a neurologist and a neurosurgeon, both independent of one another, as well as an MRI scan of his brain. This was a prerequisite for him to be allowed to fight again. Once he submitted the required documents and following an examination of the medical clearance, it was approved by an NAC medical consultant, according to a report first published by MMA Junkie.
As for the terms of Luque’s license, it will only be valid for one year. Jeff Mullen, NAC Executive Director, mentioned during the review that if Luque decides to take part in a fight in Nevada again, he would likely be required to undergo additional medical tests to confirm his fitness to compete. The defeat to Neal was Luque’s second consecutive Octagon loss after enjoying a four-fight winning spree. While this hard-hitting Brazilian fighter has managed to stay on the outskirts of title contention in recent years, he has also experienced success, once knocking out four consecutive UFC opponents. Unfortunately, before facing Neal, Luque lost on points to top contender Belal Muhammad, whom he had knocked out in a previous fight in 2016.