Vicente Luque thinks middleweight move was right call after UFC 327

Vicente Luque thinks middleweight move was right call after UFC 327

MIAMI – Vicente Luque met the media Saturday after his win over Kelvin Gastelum at UFC 327.

Luque (24-12-1 MMA, 17-8 UFC) submitted Gastelum (20-11, 14-11 UFC) with a D'Arce choke a little past four minutes into their fight on the prelims at Kaseya Center in Miami. Four of Luque's past five wins have been by D'Arce or anaconda choke.

Luque's win over Gastelum came as an underdog, but that's a scenario that is a new thing for Luque. After he debuted in the UFC in 2015, he was a favorite or, at worst, even odds in all his fights until late 2024, when he was a slit underdog to Themba Gorimbo – and finished him in 52 seconds.

But that started four straight fights that saw him as an underdog after years of never being one. Thing is, that was all at welterweight – and for Gastelumn, he moved up 15 pounds to middleweight for the first time in the UFC, and thinks that's where he should stay.

"It's a much easier weight cut. I still had to have a weight cut. I stepped in there at maybe 200, 201 (pounds)," Luque said at his post-fight news conference. "I don't think I'm one of the biggest (middleweights), but still, it was hard to go down to 170 the last few years.

"For me, I can perform so much better now in training, and that's going to translate to the octagon, and that's what I want to do. … This, right now, is where I can do my best."

Luque said the hard weight cuts at welterweight took a toll on his activity level, and he thinks at 185 pounds, he'll be able to increase his activity level, as well.

Check out Luque's post-fight interview in the video above.

This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Vicente Luque thinks middleweight move was right call after UFC 327