A key welterweight rematch between Vicente Luque and Belal Muhammad is scheduled to take place at a UFC Fight Night event on April 16.
The two first fought in 2016 on the infamous UFC 205: Alvarez vs. McGregor card. In their first encounter, Vicente Luque made short work of “Remember The Name” when he secured a quick first-round finish in under 2-minutes. The match-up was first reported by sources with ESPN.
In addition, the report indicates the UFC has yet to finalize a venue or location but as of this writing, the bout is expected to be a five-round main event. With Muhammad ranked at #5, and Luque taking the #4 spot at welterweight respectively, the bout promises to be a consequential one in the 170-pound weight class.
Vicente Luque (@VicenteLuqueMMA) vs. Belal Muhammad (@bullyb170) will headline UFC Fight Night on April 16, per sources. Ranked Nos. 4 and 5 in the UFC, respectively. Rematch of a fight that took place in 2016, which Luque won via TKO. An impactful one for the division. pic.twitter.com/To6d0ysFd8
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) January 26, 2022
“Vicente Luque (@VicenteLuqueMMA) vs. Belal Muhammad (@bullyb170) will headline UFC Fight Night on April 16, per sources. Ranked Nos. 4 and 5 in the UFC, respectively. Rematch of a fight that took place in 2016, which Luque won via TKO. An impactful one for the division.” ESPN’s Brett Okamoto shared on Tuesday.
A Brief Look At Vicente Luque & Belal Muhammad
2019 was a turning point for the career of Vicente Luque. After absorbing a loss to Stephen Thompson in a fight that was mostly contested on the feet, he went back to the drawing board and has since made adjustments to his overall MMA repertoire. He is known for his finishing abilities and is riding a commanding 4-fight winning streak, all of which came by finish.
En route to the Brazilian’s impressive streak at welterweight, it began with a back and forth war with Niko “Hybrid” Price. His striking proved to be too much for Price as the fight was called off in the third round after a doctor stopped the contest due to an eye injury. Next, “The Silent Assassin” was tasked with facing fellow 170-pound fighter Randy Brown. Once again, he proved his offense is dynamic and secured the victory with a finish via strikes (knees and punches).
However, it was Luque’s last two Octagon performances that have seen him rise to the status of a legitimate contender for welterweight gold. In March 2021, he was paired with former welterweight champion Tyron Woodley.
The fight was exciting as many thought Woodley’s back was up against the wall after a couple of consecutive losses. Nevertheless, his pressure overwhelmed Woodley and the Brazilian managed to snatch Woodley’s neck while the two scrambled. After finishing the former champion with a d’arce choke, it became abundantly clear that Luque was on his way to some big fights. Next, the welterweight shocked the world after submitting grappling ace, Michael Chiesa with a d’arce choke too.
Meanwhile, Belal Muhammad is also riding a respectable unbeaten streak (6). The welterweight received a No Contest result after being poked in the eye by Leon Edwards. Despite the setback, Muhammad’s welcoming party into the top-5 at welterweight came after he toppled Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson. Despite being counted out by fans and pundits alike, Muhammad used his fight IQ to secure a dominant victory against the Karate expert.
Who do you favor in a welterweight fight between Vicente Luque and Belal Muhammad?
