WATCH: Vicente Luque receives honorary jacket following 50 clean USADA tests
Vicente Luque is preparing for a welterweight fight against Rafael dos Anjos, which will serve as the main event at UFC Vegas 78. This Fight Night is set to take place on August 12, 2023, at the Apex facility in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Following a hearing by the Nevada Athletic Commission, Luque has received the green light to participate in his upcoming UFC main event. 'The Silent Assassin' underwent a specialized assessment and required specific authorization owing to a brain hemorrhage that emerged as a result of his TKO defeat to Geoff Neal in August 2022.
In recognition of his remarkable record of passing 50 consecutive drug tests as an active fighter, Vicente Luque was presented with a special jacket by the UFC's anti-doping program.
The 31-year-old Brazilian received this coveted honor from USADA, underscoring his clean testing history. MMA journalist Alex Behunin shared the news along with a video capturing the moment Luque received the award.
Check out the video below:
Vicente Luque received his jacket for 50 clean USADA tests pic.twitter.com/2sNXPNLfPf
The UFC established a collaboration with USADA in 2015 to ensure the integrity of their fighters' adherence to regulations and cleanliness. In the preceding year, USADA conducted a total of 4,183 tests on 755 fighters within the organization.
Vicente Luque claims he was approved to fight in February
Vicente Luque discussed his time away from the UFC, including a 6-month ban following his previous fight. He didn't specify the cause of the suspension but mentioned he was eligible to come back as early as February.
However, he noted that the commission required him to wait a full year before making his return to fighting. In an interview with MiddleEasy in May, Luque discussed this situation:
"I’m not 100 percent sure why it moved. But I believe part of it was kind of the commission wanted me to get some more exams and get cleared since my last fight because I got suspended six months. I was cleared to fight in February but still they wanted some more exams."
He added:
"We’re just making sure I’m 100 percent. I do feel 100 percent, so I’m sure that everything is going to be good. They wanted to wait maybe a year after my last fight.”
Check out Luque's comments below (from 5:18):