The final act of a big Friday night in competitive violence sees the MMA world tour head to Mexico City for some late night fights. While ONE Championship, the LFA, the PFL, and Fury FC are all holding shows, more action is held south of the border. After taking the entire month of July off, Mexico City-based Lux Fight League is back in action for two shows in August.
It starts on the eighth month’s second night with Lux 044. Live coverage of the MMA event begins Friday evening at 11 pm ET/ 8 pm PT. As always, Lux 044 can be seen in both English and Spanish on UFC Fight Pass throughout the world from Fronton Mexico. Two weeks from Friday, Lux 045 will be held from Monterrey.
All told, barring any further late adjustments between now and Friday, the final version of Lux 044 features 10 fights.
Lightweight Title Up For Grabs in Lux 044 Main Event Friday Night
Highlighting the night’s activities is a championship affair at 155 lbs. in the Lux 044 main event. Hugo Flores (12-5 MMA, 4-3 Lux) rematches Luis Marquez (5-3 MMA, 3-2 Lux.) The winner becomes the new Lux Fight League Lightweight Champion.
As is the case with title fights in most MMA promotions, the Lux 044 main event is an advertised maximum of five rounds at five minutes per round to close the show.
The Series So Far
Heading into the rematch, the all-time series between Flores and Marquez stands at 1-0 in favor of the latter. On Dec. 1 of last year, Marquez knocked Flores out with a punch slightly under three minutes into round one.
¡WOOOOW! Luis "El Tigre" Márquez nos regala un espectacular KO en el primer round ante Hugo Flores. #LUX038 pic.twitter.com/72WKYqkHfS
— LUX Fight League (@luxfightleague) December 2, 2023
How will part two of the series play out? Let’s break this contest down.
Lux 044 Main Event Fighter Comparison and Betting Odds
Going into the Lux 044 main event on Friday night, Hugo Flores stands as the taller gladiator at 5-foot-11, compared to the 5-foot-10 frame of Luis Marquez. No reach information was accessible at press time.
Currently, the oddsmakers have Hugo Flores installed as a -185 favorite on the money line, while Luis Marquez counters as a +140 underdog. If you plan on betting on this or any other fight happening this weekend in MMA or combat sports, please wager responsibly.
“Hooligan” Looking for Second Win in a Row
Hugo Flores enters Friday night’s headliner having posted a record of 3-2 in his last five fights. He’s alternated wins and losses in his last two appearances inside the cage.
Back on April 26, he scored a third-round submission by way of armbar versus 29-fight veteran Roman Cordova (13-16 MMA) during Lux 042 and he took it down to the wire, locking in the sub with just one second remaining on the clock. There’s no denying the mindset of the fighter nicknamed “Hooligan” as he prepares for the rematch.
His primary thought for the entirety of this training camp and through all of his pre-fight obligations has been one of revenge. There’s a proverb that states “Revenge is a dish best served cold.” Flores has had eight months to think about what happened that night last December and he got himself back in the win column a little over three months ago.
Will he even the score against Luis Marquez on Friday night? Only time will tell.
Marquez Eager to Go 2-for-2 Against Flores in Lux 044 Main Event
In the other corner, Luis Marquez has posted a record of 3-2 in his own right over the course of his last five fights. He’s been a streaky fighter of late, however.
Before the original match with Hugo Flores last December, Luis Marquez had dropped two fights in succession, including a unanimous decision at the hands of Anuar Aburto (6-1 MMA, 6-1 Lux) in May of 2023. That two-fight losing streak came on the heels of a stretch where Marquez won three consecutive fights between December of 2021 and February of 2022.
It’s always a boon for a fighter to have a rematch booked against an opponent and win it. It’s even a bigger boon, however, when the rematch has a championship belt attached to the stakes.
That’s just what’s going to happen on Friday night in the Lux 044 main event. Tune in and find out if Luis Marquez can settle the score with Hugo Flores once and for all.
Analysis, Film Study, and Prediction
With this fight being a rematch, both fighters know what to expect from each other, which stands to make the sequel more entertaining than the original.
Hugo Flores Can Work Late into the Fight
Sometimes in MMA, a fighter has to go deep into the contest in order to get the job done, which is what Hugo Flores had to do three months ago versus Roman Cordova. In the third and final round, Flores dumped Cordova and scored some ground and pound shots before assuming top mount.
From there, Hugo Flores had assumed control of the fight, taking side control and continuing to soften his opponent up. Upon retaking top mount, he landed more ground and pound, finally applying the torque to secure the armbar right before the horn blared to end the fight.
If Hugo Flores can drop Luis Marquez in the Lux 044 main event on Friday night, he’s got the skills to take control of the bout.
Marquez Can Punch His Way to a Win
In the other corner, just as Hugo Flores is adept at submissions, Luis Marquez has made a name for knocking out his adversaries. Statistically speaking, four of his five professional wins have been recorded by that method, including the original fight with Flores back in December.
Round one saw the fighters trading feints with each other before Flores opened it up with a lead leg kick. The men continued to stalk each other with Marquez landing kicks to pepper Flores.
These shots were the prelude to a vicious punch to the head that knocked Hugo Flores out on the canvas. Luis Marquez can end the rematch, and by extension, the rivalry, with just one punch.
Final Thoughts
Be sure to stay up late Friday night for a scintillating fight in the Lux 044 main event. You won’t want to miss the rematch.
Prediction: Luis Marquez by First-Round Knockout.
