Distinguished Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight contenders Vicente Luque and Joaquin Buckley are set to ignite the co-main event at UFC on ESPN 54 this Saturday at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Luque’s recent run has been fraught with challenges, including canceled bouts and opponent changes. The No. 11-ranked welterweight contender bounced back from a pair of disappointing setbacks against Belal Muhammad and Geoff Neal to score a unanimous decision win over Rafael dos Anjos in his last Octagon outing in August. The Brazilian now seeks to add another win to his UFC record against Buckley. Meanwhile, Buckley has showcased renewed vigor after returning to the welterweight division, starting with a technical knockout victory over Andre Fialho in May. Following that appearance, he picked up a unanimous decision over Alex Morono to cap off a successful 2023 campaign.
As fans eagerly anticipate the clash between an experienced contender and the man who owns one of the most-talked-about highlight-reel knockouts of all-time, we take a look at some of the statistical intricacies that bind the fighters together:
20: Luque ranks 10th in total fights in the UFC welterweight division, having made 20 appearances at 170 pounds.
15: With 15 career wins at 170 pounds, “The Silent Assassin” is placed fourth on the welterweight ladder for most victories in the organization.
13: Luque is renowned for his killer instinct, which is further punctuated by the fact that he is second in the welterweight bracket for most finishes at 13.
8: Luque also ranks second on the promotion’s list for most knockout wins as a welterweight, with eight victories of those nature to his credit.
5: Luque’s ability to finish fights is not merely limited to knockouts. He also holds five submission wins on his record, which is the tied fourth-best in the welterweight division.
8: The Brazilian has been honored with eight fight night bonuses, sharing the third spot with former welterweight title challenger Stephen Thompson.
10: Luque has landed 10 knockdowns in 20 UFC Octagon appearances.
6: With six knockdowns, Buckley occupies the tied ninth spot for most knockdowns landed in middleweight competition.
3.87: Buckley lands 3.87 strikes per minute.
33: Buckley wields a striking accuracy of 33%.
57: Renowned for his powerful striking, Buckley also exhibits solid defense, boasting a 57% significant strike defense rate.
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