Vicente Luque ecstatic for first UFC main event, believes he will finish Belal Muhammad again: “We both know I have the power to knock him out”

Vicente Luque is excited to headline his first UFC card.

In the main event of UFC Vegas 51, Luque is set to rematch Belal Muhammad in a crucial fight for the welterweight division. The two fought back at UFC 205 where Luque won the fight in 79 seconds by KO. Since then, he has gone on an incredible run, but he hasn’t been the main event until now which he says is a dream come true.

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“I didn’t know when it was going to happen but I thought some fights could’ve been main events,” Luque said on Just Scrap Radio on BJPENN.com. “Me and Mike Perry could’ve been the main event, especially with how it went down, we needed two more rounds. It took a while but now it’s here and now I get to fight five rounds and put on a great show for everybody.”

Although he fought Muhammad back in 2015, Luque says he doesn’t view this as a rematch. The fight was short notice as Luque stepped up on two weeks’ notice, so neither had time to prepare for one another.

Along with that, the fight only lasted 79 seconds so neither can take much from it. However, the only thing Vicente Luque can take away from the fight is the fact both of them know he has the power to KO Muhammad.

“I’m excited to fight Belal, I think it’s a great fight, we are both top-five and are on good win streaks, and a fight that makes sense,” Luque explained. “It will be an important fight for the division. Even though it is a rematch, it’s hard to take anything from it. It was a short notice fight, I didn’t get to train specifically for Belal, and the same thing, he didn’t know he was going to fight me until two weeks before the fight. I don’t take much from the fight other than that we both know I have the power to knock him out if I connect, but that’s a big if. He will try to do his best to not let me land that big shot.”

Against Belal Muhammad, Vicente Luque does expect it to be a longer fight than the first one. He says Muhammad will try and wrestle him early and try to extend the fight, but the Brazilian believes he will eventually find the stoppage win whether it is by KO or submission.

“I’m looking to put on the best fight that I can and look for the finish… I think he is aware of that (I knocked him out and have that power), but I don’t think he will be scared, instead, he will fight smart,” Luque said.

Should Luque get his hand raised, he isn’t sure who would be next but believes he would be in a title eliminator next time out.

“The division is really on fire right now. With a win over Belal, I might be next but if I’m not next, I’m not going to it and wait and see what happens,” Luque concluded. “I will look to fight whoever I have to fight, if Khamzat is that guy, I will fight him, if not, I’ll fight whoever. I can also stay ready and be a backup for the title fight, but for right now, the focus is on beating Belal.”

Do you think Vicente Luque will beat Belal Muhammad at UFC Vegas 51?