Video: In a good phase, Luque sets his goal: “Enter the top 15 and go after the belt”

Vincent Luque He arrived in the UFC without much fanfare, unknown to a large part of the Brazilian public. However, it only took 11 months for the welterweight, aged just 25, to gain global prominence and become one of Brazil's main promises in Ultimate.

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With four consecutive victories – two by submission and two by knockout -, Luque wants to reach greater heights in 2017. In an exclusive interview with SUPER FIGHTS, Vicente spoke about the victory at UFC 205, in New York, the current moment of the welterweight category, the rapid rise in the organization and revealed what his plans are for next year.

“I definitely surprise myself every day when I stop and think about where I am. (…) It really was quick (the rise), but there is a lot of work behind it, and I intend to continue doing this work and evolving, because we want to be the best, but no one is born the best, you can become the best , and to stay there (at the top) you have to work even harder. My goal is to continue training and evolving more and more”, said Luque.

Motivated by the good sequence of positive results, Vicente wants to face a top 15 player in his next fight, to gradually get closer to fulfilling his greatest desire: becoming UFC champion.

“I think that with the streak I have, I already deserve to fight someone in the top 15, that's my goal. I want to be able to fight, get into the top 15 and start going after the belt. It's the goal of everyone in the UFC and mine is no different. I want to get that belt”, guaranteed the fighter.

Check out the full interview with Vicente Luque: 

SUPER FIGHTS: How did it feel to fight at UFC 205, in New York, and how did you receive the invitation?

Vincent Luque: – It was a card that any fighter in the UFC would like to be part of. It was incredible. The preliminary card could be a main card of any other UFC event. I received a call from my manager two and a half weeks before the event, offering to fight Belal Muhamad, and I didn't think twice. The hardest part would be losing the weight, but I have a lot of help from Dr. Rodrigo Mauro, who always helps me with weight loss. As soon as I accepted the fight, I called him, who gave me the right diet, and I managed to lose the weight with ease. (…) I managed to train well in these two and a half weeks, I even trained the day before the weigh-in. Part of the weight cutting was training and the other part was in the bathtub. I felt really good, I was able to get there and do what I did. In fact, I was ready to fight three rounds. My opponent is known for having a very good chin, in his first fight in the UFC, against Alan Jouban, he took four knockdowns and came back, so I really expected it to be three rounds. In my head I was already (thinking): 'I'm going to fight strategically, dose the gas and apply pressure, but also be very forceful with the blows'. And I think I was so forceful that I managed to land the blow and he fell, and I went up to finish (the fight), because I knew he could come back.

What is the reason for the indefinite suspension after the fight?

– In fact, it is a “large” suspension if I don’t take the x-ray. This hand (the right one) was a little swollen after the fight, and the New York Athletic Commission is very strict with many things, it really wants to protect the athletes. So they said I would be suspended until I presented the x-ray. I'm already planning for when I return to Brasília, I'll take the x-ray, send it to them and they'll release me. It's an indefinite amount of time, but only until they receive the x-ray.

Surprised by the UFC’s meteoric rise?

– I certainly surprise myself every day when I stop and think about where I am. The most important thing I do is train, I try to always stay ready. I had three fights in five months, and I think I was able to have those fights because I was staying healthy and prepared. As soon as I return to Brasília, right after my fights, I go back to physiotherapy, regardless of having an injury, I do preventative physiotherapy. I do physical preparation in terms of strength, because when we are away from the fight we do a lot of strength to strengthen the body in general, and I go back to technical training, on the feet and on the ground. This is what allows me to have the fights I had in such a short period of time. It really was quick (the rise), but there is a lot of work behind it, and I intend to continue doing this work and evolving, because we want to be the best, but no one is born the best, you can become the best, and to If you stay there (at the top) you have to work even harder. My goal is to continue training and evolving more and more.

What's your opinion on the recent title fight between Tyron Woodley and Stephen Thompson?

– In that fight I thought Tyron won, I didn’t think it was a draw. It was an even fight, but Tyron put more pressure at certain moments, enough to win the fight.

How do you see yourself in the welterweight category?

– I think that with the streak I have, I already deserve to fight someone in the top 15, that's my goal. I want to be able to fight, get into the top 15 and start going after the belt. It's the goal of everyone in the UFC and mine is no different, I want to get that belt.

How many more fights do you intend to have to get into the top 15?

– Taking a well-ranked opponent in the top 15, and depending on how I win, I think I can get into the top 15 and have a few more fights to try to become a contender.

Do you have a name in mind to challenge?

– I took a look at the rankings to see who had a fight scheduled or not, and two guys really interest me: one is Lorenz Larkin, who is a striker, and just the fact that his fighting style, along with mine, would be an great show for the fans, so this would be the ideal fight. And the Jake ellenberger He's also a big name and is in the top 15, it would also be an interesting fight for me to do.

When do you intend to fight again?

– Around March or April. I've done this sequence of fights now, I want to take a break, enjoy Christmas and New Year with my family, then in March or April I can fight again.

Does pledge status help or hinder?

– Mainly, it motivates me. It motivates because it is, in a way, recognition of the work I have been doing. Sometimes we win fights and, perhaps, they (the fans) don't recognize how much effort it took to achieve that victory. So, I think this promising status, people starting to see that I really have the potential to be a champion, this motivates me to train even harder and become more focused to win all the fights from now on.

Is the fact of speaking three languages ​​an extra-octagon advantage?

– I think it’s an advantage, but it wasn’t a concern of mine. Actually, my father is Chilean, so I speak Spanish with him. I was born in the United States, lived there until I was six years old and came to Brazil with my mother, who is from Brasília. What happened: I learned English there in the United States, Spanish speaking with my father, I still speak to him in Spanish, and my mother learned English there (in the USA), so when we returned to Brasília, she chose to talk with me only in English, so I wouldn't forget, so I managed to get along very well speaking all three languages, and nowadays it's certainly something that helps me a lot. It's an advantage today, but I didn't think so. But I was lucky (laughs).

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