No-one likes to fight down in the rankings, not least seasoned veterans more eager to boost their championship credentials and especially on short-notice. While not indirectly, Dustin Poirier’s stoppage win over Benoit Saint-Denis has resonated with others in a similar situation – including longtime contender Vicente Luque, facing unranked Joaquin Buckley in New Jersey this weekend.
Luque: More risk, more reward for me
- Luque’s mindset before a risky fight few ranked contenders would take: “I’ve been in Buckley’s position before, the guy outside the rankings that people were concerned about because we’re good and dangerous. The more risk I take, the more reward I’m going to get – that’s how I look at this fight.”
- Buckley, 2-0 since dropping down to 170lbs, is naturally appreciative of the opportunity and believes it’s a product of his hard work… but now 29-year-old must seize the chance after previously falling short against ranked middleweight contenders Nassourdine Imavov and Chris Curtis
- Buckley steps into slot after original opponent Sean Brady [8] didn’t agree bout terms as Philly fighter still rehabs an undisclosed nagging injury
VICENTE Luque has done the admirable, gracious even, thing by accepting a replacement fight against a dangerous and lesser-ranked opponent on a minimised stage this weekend as part of the main card hors d’oeuvres to a Manon Fiorot vs. Erin Blanchfield headliner when he likely would’ve topped the bill instead.
Luque, 32, snapped a two-fight losing skid by outpointing former lightweight champion and longtime welterweight contender Rafael dos Anjos back in August – an encounter he acknowledged was important before their five-round headliner.
After still feeling the ill-effects from his last defeat and the fallout which followed, 2023 also marked the first time he hadn’t competed at least twice in a calendar year since 2014 – having signed with the UFC in 2015 after initially trying out for The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) and logging four fights within a six-month period.
He might not express it publicly, but there’s a burning desire to make up for lost time – a familar phrase in the world of sports – given where he sits at 170lbs and where he could’ve easily catapulted to, if things went his way.
Rising unbeaten contender Ian Machado Garry [7] was set to face him at UFC 296 in December before withdrawing with pneumonia during fight week.
The Irishman’s decision win over Geoff Neal last month saw him rise considerably in the rankings, as did Jack Della Maddalena [5] after a R3 stoppage win over Luque’s longtime friend and former title challenger Gilbert Burns at UFC 299 on March 9.
“Yeah, he’s not ranked and dangerous but I’m dangerous as well and I’ll give him the opportunity to try to come in and beat me. He’s got a lot of hype behind him, a style people love to watch – so do I – can showcase my skills, work my way up the division.”
- Luque content he’ll fight in New Jersey and has all the conditions that can make him successful
Buckley knows the stakes are heightened on his end, given he’s only just scratching the surface of his potential after recently alternating a pair of losses and now riding a two-fight win streak in an eventful 7-4 start to his UFC career.
Since joining the promotion in 2020, he’s shown himself to be more layered than an overnight sensation after one unforgettable knockout and is trying to harness his punch power in ways that make him less predictable for opponents to figure out.
“This is something I’ve been asking for, shouting about on social media for a long time. To get that big name, somebody I feel is going to really get the respect it deserves with all the work I’ve put in… so now I’m getting what I asked for, it’s a beautiful situation.”
- After victories over Andre Fialho and Alex Morono in 2023, Buckley has a breakthrough opening
Whether he’ll flourish where he lacked a little seasoning in previous step-up encounters, we’ll have to wait and see. He started his surge too late vs. Nassourdine Imavov, and Chris Curtis is a deceptively tough out for any competitor at 185lbs.
UFC New Jersey card, is as follows
Main card
Women’s flyweight: Erin Blanchfield [2] vs. Manon Fiorot [3]
Welterweight: Vicente Luque [11] vs. Joaquin Buckley
Middleweight: Chris Weidman vs. Bruno Silva
Middle: Nursulton Ruziboev vs. Sedriques Dumas
Featherweight: Bill Algeo vs. Kyle Nelson
Welterweight: Chidi Njokuani vs. Rhys McKee
Prelims
Feather: Nate Landwehr vs. Jamall Emmers
Women’s strawweight: Virna Jandiroba [5] vs. Loopy Godinez [10]
Catchweight (147.25lbs): Julio Arce vs. Herbert Burns
Feather: Dennis Buzukja vs. Connor Matthews
Light-heavyweight: Ibo Aslan vs. Anton Turkalj
Women’s fly: Viktoriia Dudakova vs. Melissa Gatto
Middle: Andre Petroski vs. Jacob Malkoun
Bantamweight: Angel Pacheco vs. Caolan Loughran
Picture source: Getty Images, quotes via mmajunkie
Mo and Sports 