Vicente Luque def. Niko Price by TKO, Round 3, 3:37
The rematch between welterweight standouts Vicente Luque and Niko Price was expected to be something special, and it was, as the two went to war on the feet for nearly three rounds before a cut suffered by Price brought a halt to the fight in the final frame, with Luque emerging victorious via TKO.
Price and Luque took no time getting acquainted again, Luque getting the better of the action in the early going as he landed several flush punches that barely moved Price. Price had some good moments later in the round, but it was Luque getting the last word as he rocked his foe just before the horn.
Things heated up in the second, with both fighters scoring as several exchanges broke out. Luque briefly dropped Price as the two traded against the fence, but “The Hybrid” got right back up and resumed his offensive attack. Price emerged with a cut under his right eye, but he was undaunted by the fight in the front of him, and the same could be said for Luque, who responded well to the pressure Price was putting on.
Price mixed up his attacks in the third, going to the body before going upstairs, Luque talking a little longer to get warmed up for the final five minutes. Once he did, the back and forth continued until a left hook by Luque floored Price with less than two minutes to go. Luque went to the ground for the finish, but Price recovered and rose to his feet, where he was checked out by the Octagonside physician for a new cut over his right eye. Unable to see, there was no choice for the doctor than to recommend a halt to the fight. The official time of referee Jason Herzog’s stoppage was 3:37 of round three.
With the win, the No. 13-ranked Luque moves to 18-7-1. Price falls to 14-4 with 1 NC. In their first bout in 2017, Luque defeated Price via submission.
