<p>Vicente Luque was preparing to face off against Santiago Ponzinibbio at UFC Fight Night in Rio de Janeiro. However, he will now face Joel Alvarez after the latter had to withdraw.</p> <p>The fight forms part of the UFC Fight Night to be held in the Brazilian city, with it being one of 13 on the card. Taking place at the Farmasi Arena, the card starts at 06:00 AEST on Sunday, October 12. This bout is expected to take place a few hours later, with it being 11th in the running order.</p> <h2>Vicente Luque vs Joel Alvarez: Tale of the Tape</h2> <p>With a late replacement being called upon to fight inside the Octagon, it’s definitely worth taking a look at the tale of the tape and seeing how these two fighters compare. Bettors may identify potential angles they want to explore.</p> <p>Luque’s figures have been provided first…</p> <p>&nbsp;</p> <ul> <li>Age - 33 vs 32</li> <li>Height - 5'11" (180cm) vs 6'3" (191cm)</li> <li>Weight - 170.0 lbs (77.1 kgs) vs 156.0 lbs (70.8 kgs)</li> <li>Reach - 76.0" (193cm) vs 77.0" (196cm)</li> <li>Stance - Orthodox vs Orthodox</li> <li>Record - 23-11-1 vs 22-3-0</li> <li>UFC Record - 16-7-0 vs 7-2-0</li> </ul> <h2>Vicente Luque vs Joel Alvarez: Betting Preview</h2> <p>The Spaniard could be perceived as having an advantage in a couple of key areas. Alvarez is significantly taller than his Brazilian counterpart, giving him a slight reach advantage, while he is also significantly lighter.</p> <p>However, Luque can be considered the more experienced of the duo, having had 23 fights in the UFC compared to Alvarez’s nine. Additionally, home support may come into play. Still, his recent fight record doesn’t look great compared to the Spaniard…</p> <p>Luque’s Last Five Fights:</p> <ul> <li>Kevin Holland - Loss (Sub, 2) - Jun 2025</li> <li>Themba Gorimbo - Win (Sub, 1) - Dec 2024</li> <li>Joaquin Buckley - Loss (TKO, 2) - Mar 2024</li> <li>Rafael dos Anjos - Win (UD, 5) - Aug 2023</li> <li>Geoff Neal - Loss (TKO, 3) - Aug 2022</li> </ul> <p>&nbsp;</p> <p>Alvarez’s Last Five Opponents:</p> <ul> <li>Drakkar Klose - Win (TKO, 1) - Dec 2024</li> <li>Elves Brener - Win (TKO, 3) - Aug 2024</li> <li>Marc Diakiese - Win (Sub, 2) - Jul 2023</li> <li>Arman Tsarukyan - Loss (TKO, 2) - Feb 2022</li> <li>Thiago Moisés - Win (TKO, 1) - Nov 2021</li> </ul> <h2>Vicente Luque vs Joel Alvarez: Betting Predictions</h2> <p>The latest <a href="https://www.sportsbet.com.au/betting/ufc-mma/ufc-matches/vicente-luque-v-joel-alvarez-9681732">Vicente Luque vs Joel Alvarez betting odds</a> are very one-sided, with the Spaniard perceived to be the huge favourite entering this bout.</p> <p>When looking for value in this contest, we’d suggest backing the Spaniard to win by TKO/KO, as he has managed to win four of his seven UFC victories in this way. We’d also recommend backing Alvarez to end the fight within the distance, as his other three winning fights were ended by way of submission. He has also been knocked out once, with the other going by decision.</p> <p>He comes into the fight in better form and is a late replacement, which could make life difficult for Luque.</p>