Athletes
Vicente Luque Channels Vintage Form In Pursuit Of Title
Welterweight Vicente Luque Sees Matchup With Kevin Holland At UFC 316: Dvalishvili vs O’Malley 2 As Start Of Journey Toward Welterweight Gold
It may surprise you to learn that Vicente Luque, the man who knocked out former welterweight champion Belal Muhammad in 2016, is only 33 years old.
With that said, it's all the more surprising that UFC fans were so quick to dismiss him or think he was past his prime heading into his bout with rising prospect Themba Gorimbo last December.
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Sure, Luque had lost three of his last four going into that matchup, but those three defeats came to Top 15 contenders Joaquin Buckley and Geoff Neal, as well as Muhammad in their rematch, who then went on to capture the title.
But at UFC 310, Luque silenced critics after he put Gorimbo to sleep with an anaconda choke just 52 seconds into the fight. It was Luque’s 20th finish in 23 pro wins and 13th in the first round.
WATCH: Vicente Luque's Fight Week Interview
“A lot of people questioned if I still could fight as I used to back in the day, and it’s crazy because it was just a few fights that I didn’t have the result I usually have,” Luque said. “It was nice to go out there and do what I knew I could do.
“It was something that motivated me, that kinda lit a fire for me. Everybody forgot about what I could do, so let me go out there and remind everybody and also enjoy it while doing it. This is what I love. I’m back to fighting the way I love and enjoying the whole process.”
As Luque put it, dominating a prospect like Gorimbo was a reminder to the entire division of just how dangerous he can be on fight night, and why no opponent, regardless of ranking, can afford to take him lightly inside the Octagon.
Luque carries that momentum to Newark this Saturday, where he’ll take on fan-favorite Kevin Holland at UFC 316: Dvalishvili vs O’Malley 2. Luque was born less than an hour from the Prudential Center, in Westwood, New Jersey, and will have many of his family members in attendance for what he hopes is the first step of a run toward the welterweight title.
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“The [welterweight] division is moving all over the place,” Luque said. “You got a new champion, a lot of strikers coming up. We have a current striker champion. I think that’s awesome. That’s something I really appreciate, being a striker myself. I think it’s a great opportunity for me to take advantage of all this movement and jump back into the top and soon get a title fight. That’s in my plans and Holland is kind of the fight that I see can start that off for me.
“I am a veteran, but I’m still young, I’m still getting better, I’m still developing,” Luque said. “It’s nice to see these new faces and everybody paying attention to them and to build myself to beat all these guys and get that title, so that’s my motivation right now.”
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That's no easy task against an all-action fighter like Holland, who’s known for his willingness to face anyone, anywhere, as often as his body allows. But it’s that same relentless mentality that drew Luque to accept the matchup the moment it was offered
“He’s a guy that’s exciting to watch; he always has the fans guessing what he’s going to do, plus I know he’s going to go there and fight. Maybe he’s going to strike, maybe he’s going to grapple. I don’t know exactly what he’s going to do, but he’s gonna fight and that’s what matters. That’s what I want to do. I want to go out there and have a high-paced, action-packed fight and do what I do best, which is go to war.
“I see a tough fight in the sense that both of us are going to bring the action, but I definitely see myself finishing him. Either a knockout or a submission, I don’t know where it’s going to present itself, but if I see the opportunity, I’m definitely going to take it.”
UFC 316: Dvalishvili vs O'Malley 2 took place live from Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey on June 7, 2025. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!
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