- Vicente Luque thinks the several changes in his training camp made him a better fighter
- “The Silent Assassin” discussed what he expects from Joaquin Buckley
- The 32-year-old commented on Ian Garry’s controversial persona
Vicente Luque will finally be back inside the Octagon on March 30 to face Joaquin Buckley at UFC Atlantic City. In an exclusive interview with Middle Easy, “The Silent Assassin” shared his thoughts on his preparation and some of the most interesting topics in the welterweight division.
Changing camps is actually good
Before being booked against Buckley, Luque was originally set to take on Ian Garry at UFC 296. However, “The Future” was forced to withdraw due to illness and Luque was later slated against Sean Brady to headline UFC Atlantic City. Unfortunately, Brady suddenly pulled out as he as still recovering from some injuries he sustained in his last fight.
At last, the UFC brass matched Buckley as a replacement which also meant that Luque had three major changes in his training camp over the past several months. Despite that, “The Silent Assassin” said it even worked to his advantage as a fighter.
“Sometimes [we] could say like [it’s an] adversity changing opponents. But it has really paid off training because I’ve been training, I’ve been working and literally like changing style to style and overall when I look I at it, I’m like I got better,” Luque said. “I got better because I was training for so many different guys and like and with a lot of motivation… When I think of it, I didn’t waste my time having a whole training camp for young Garry because it made me a better fighter and same thing like when I was training for Sean and then it changed up, I still was becoming a better fighter.”
Buckley is tricky
Buckley is not a Top-15 fighter in the welterweight division but Luque is not taking him lightly. For the 32-year-old, “New Mansa” has proven that he is a “tricky” opponent with a wide array of skills.
Nevertheless, Luque insists that Buckley would have to go through him the hard way. Luque is certain he is not letting 2020 Knockout of the year winner take his spot in the rankings without engaging in an all-out war.
“Buckley is a very, I would say elusive fighter,” Luque assessed. “He throws very different like unorthodox shots but at the same time he’s able to keep himself like in between the big shots and big explosive shots he does. He’s very like good guard, good movement, good stance. I think that’s what makes it even more tricky.”
“I’ve been getting ready for this kind of approach by him you know when I look at it I think that he’s very strong. He’s built in a way where I know he has knockout power in his hands, in his legs and I imagine that’s what he’s gonna try to do to me you know going there and try to get me out of there,” he added. “… Being a striker myself, I see how I could use that in my favor as well you know maybe put on some counter shots or even I mean, I’ve been through so many wars that if it becomes a war, well it’s another day you know of me doing what I what I do.”
“I can never underestimate a guy like Buckley because it’s just like, I’ve been in his position before you know I’ve been the guy that is outside of the rankings that knocks out a lot of people and that the guys don’t want to fight. And I wanted my opportunity and I know when I got the opportunity to fight against a ranked opponent, I knew how hungry I was, I knew how hard I worked, how much I wanted that win,” Luque explained.
“So, I know this that Buckley’s going to be hungry. Buckley’s going to be ready. Buckley’s gonna be there to take me out and that lights a fire on me and I’m like okay let’s do it… if you could beat the best version of myself, you got your spot but you’re going to have to walk through fire you know I’m I’m going to bring it,” he added.
Belal deserves the title shot
When asked about the current title mix in the welterweight division, Luque said he doesn’t see anybody more deserving than Belal Muhammad, who beat him back in 2022 via unanimous decision.
“For me, it is Belal,” Luque said of who should be the next title challenger at 170. “He has such a win streak, he’s beaten very very tough guys me being one of them. I include myself in that run he has so I know the guys that he has beat. I know how tough it is to have a run like that in the welterweight division. So for me it’s a fight that makes sense.”
Ian lets the drama get to him
Luque also shared his honest thoughts on the undeniable hype and drama surrounding Garry’s name. The way “The Silent Assassin” sees it, “The Future” is just an ordinary person but he is letting the drama get to him which resulted in his controversial persona.
“Ian is another person as all of us you know and he has his family,” Luque said of Garry. “He loves them and I know that because I’ve trained with this guy… I know the love he has for his family. I do think like he speaks a lot. He talks a lot about people that’s why he gives the right for other people to talk at him but at the end of the day, I think nobody should talk about nobody. Everybody should take care of their business and fans should be entertained about what we actually do, that is fighting.”
Luque won his last fight against former lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos via decision and is currently the No. 10 welterweight contender. On the other hand, Buckley will make the most out of his opportunity to break into the Top 15 of the 170-pound division with a win over “The Silent Assassin.”
Watch Luque’s full interview below:
