UFC Chile results: Vicente Luque knocks out Chad Laprise

Vicente Luque left no doubt he belongs in the conversation in the UFC welterweight division.

A big left to the jaw set up the finish on Saturday night as the Brazilian scored a first-round knockout of Chad Laprise to kick off the main card at UFC Chile. The time of the stoppage at Movistar Arena in Santiago was 4:15.

With the victory, Luque has now won two in a row and six of his past seven.

“I came in here feeling good,” Luque (13-6-1) said. “I had one of the best camps of my life. Chad moves fast, man, he’s has quick hands, came up from 155 … but I was able to find my range and find my distance.”

The majority of the bout was done in feeling-out mode, but Luque started to cut off the angles and turn up the offense as the round went on. An efficient left to the jaw dropped Laprise, then Luque landed three hammer fists before referee Marc Goddard waved the bout off.

All six of Luque’s wins in his 6-1 run have been finishes, the most in the UFC welerweight division since 2015.

Laprise (13-3), the former TUF: Nations winner, had a three-fight win streak snapped.