UFC 260- Tyron Woodley vs Vicente Luque: Prediction and Analysis

UFC 260 will have a massive main event which will have Francis Ngannou challenge for Stipe Miocic’s Heavyweight title. However, the co-main event has a different story to it. Tyron Woodley is hoping to end the worst run of his career at three losses and win this one. However, the opponent here is the dangerous and surging Vicente Luque.

Luque is a striker who has a relatively holistic game. However, his wrestling is no match for Woodley’s. This is a fantastic striker vs wrestler matchup. While this situation usually favors the wrestlers, strikers often come out of such matchups looking like a million bucks. Luque will look to throw himself into the top of the crowded division with this win. For Woodley, it is to survive in the UFC.

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Luque is a heavy favorite heading into this. However, just because Woodley had a few rough fights doesn’t mean he wasn’t champion just two years ago. But he does look to have lost a step. Will Luque be ending Woodley’s time in the Welterweight division?

UFC 260: Does Luque put a nail in the Woodley era?

While Tyron Woodley hasn’t said he wants to retire, placing him in the division after another loss will be hard. He is coming off losses to Kamaru Usman, Gilbert Burns, and Colby Covington. However, his wrestling is an elite skill that it binds him to have sharpened a little more. While he can strike, it isn’t his preferred method of fighting.

It definitely wouldn’t be the preferred method against Vicente Luque, who has genuine knockout power. However, Luque can also be crafty on the ground and get Woodley in some uncomfortable submission situations. But that is what people expected Demian Maia to do against him, and that didn’t work out.

While the sentimental pick here would be the former champion, we have to be realistic. Woodley hasn’t looked like himself in the cage, and he may not have had enough time off since his loss to Colby last September. Luque is ascending up the ranks, and it seems he may just do it at Woodley’s expense.