The sky is the limit for Vincent Luque. After finishing Michael chiesa and achieve his third consecutive victory in the welterweight division (up to 77kg.) in UFC 265 last Saturday (7), the Brazilian challenged Kamaru Usman for a division title match.
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And, in an exclusive interview with the SUPER FIGHTS on YouTube, Luque did not fail to answer questions about his possible next challenge and indicated the path to defeat Usman. He now waits for the fight between the Nigerian and Colby covington, which happens in the UFC 268, which is scheduled to take place on November 6th.
“I think that a point that few people tried to explore, and the one who explored it a little was Colby (Covington). Something that you can feel and take advantage of is playing at an intense pace. It's his strategy, he likes to get into a strong rhythm to drown out the guys. Colby was the only one who managed to go head to head with him in this regard, but I don't think Colby had the knockout power to shake Kamaru. He has a very tough chin, but Durinho showed that he can break that chin and it's a mixture of that”, said Vicente.
With the triumph over Michael chiesa, the Brazilian rose two positions in the category ranking and is now in fourth place. He is, in fact, the only one among the first placed who has not yet faced Usman and, in an exercise of imagination, he explained where he can explore him in a possible title clash.
“I have a strong, hard hand. So I can hit him so he can feel it. But I think I have to put in a volume very similar to what Colby did. The secret is to be on top of your game and go into battle prepared for a 'war'. I don't think it's an easy fight and I don't believe I would win in the first three rounds. I believe it would be in the fourth or fifth and, towards the end, risking a submission or a knockout if there is an opportunity”, added the Brasilia native.
FRIENDSHIP WITH KAMARU USMAN
The relationship with Kamaru Usman is nothing new for Vincent Luque, as the two used to train together at Sanford MMA. Asked about his bond with the Nigerian, the Brazilian athlete highlighted that he trained with the champion, but would have no problem facing him.
“To a certain extent, we can say we are friends. I have always respected and admired his work and have learned a lot from him. We always trained a lot on the same team and he was one of the guys I trained the most exactly because of his quality of wrestling, which was an area I needed to improve. So, we have a very good relationship, we have a friendship, but nothing that prevents us from competing against each other. (…) I will be prepared. When he wants to book the fight, I will be ready and I really believe it will be a great show. I think everyone will be interested in this fight. So, for all parties (Kamaru, Luque and UFC), it makes perfect sense”, added the athlete.
RESERVE FIGHTER?
Although he is out of title contention, Luque did not rule out closely following the duel between Usman and Covington. The Brazilian admitted the possibility of being a reserve for the rematch and entering the fight, if something unforeseen happens to one of the two. However, he emphasizes that there are still no negotiations with the UFC for this to happen.
"It's a possibility. I haven't spoken to the UFC directly, but I intend to stay ready, trained and in a good rhythm. I don't know if I would travel there and make the weight, but at least be prepared in case one of the two leaves and I can replace it. I’ll try to keep myself at a good training pace”, he concluded.
The victory over Chiesa extended the Brazilian's undefeated streak. Now, Vicente has four positive results in a row. His last setback came in November 2019, when he was overcome by Stephen Thompson. In his career, there are 21 triumphs, seven setbacks and one draw.
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