For most MMA diehards, Vicente
Luque has been a well-known commodity for a few years now.
However, it seems that UFC president Dana White is only just now
giving Luque his due recognition after “The Silent Assassin” put
away the streaking Michael
Chiesa with a first-round brabo choke in a featured
welterweight bout at UFC
265 on Saturday night at the Toyota Center in Houston.
“He is [a top welterweight] now,” White said at the UFC 265
post-fight press conference. “We’re talking about him now. First of
all, that kid is fun to watch. When he beat [Tyron] Woodley,
Woodley hadn’t won a fight in three years. He beat Woodley – OK.
Tonight, not only did he beat Michael Chiesa, but when he went for
that choke, I was like, ‘Why are you trying to submit Michael
Chiesa? Get back on your feet!’ He got it. He did it.”
Luque is currently on a four-bout winning streak of his own, and
his stoppage of Chiesa was his 13th finish at 170 pounds – the
second most in the history of the division. Given his reputation as
an exciting fighter, it would seem that Luque would be someone the
UFC would want to promote. At the very least he caught the
attention of reigning welterweight champion Kamaru
Usman.
You looked great my man we might be dancing
soon
#ufc265— KAMARU USMAN (@USMAN84kg)
August 8, 2021
Still, it would seem that Luque is behind a few contenders,
including Colby
Covington, who is slated for a rematch with Usman at UFC 268,
and Leon
Edwards.
“I don’t know if I do deserve [a title shot] over [Edwards]. I just
know that I’m one of the most, if not the most exciting
welterweight right now,” Luque said. “I’m showing everybody what I
can do. I finish every single fight. My fights are exciting. And
for that reason, I think I do deserve a title fight.
“I’m the only guy up there in the top five that hasn’t fought the
champion, that hasn’t challenged Kamaru for a fight. He still has a
fight ahead of him, but I believe he’ll win that fight. If he does,
I think I would be a great challenge.”
No matter what the future holds for Luque, he seems to have made a
fan in White.
“I love to watch that kid fight,” White said. “He’s exciting. He’s
a killer, and I look forward to what’s next for him. You can’t talk
about all the top guys in the world without talking about Luque
now.