Photo by Alexandre Schneider /Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Welterweight sluggers Vicente Luque and Mike Perry will trade shots this Saturday (Aug. 10, 2019) at UFC Fight Night 156 from inside Antel Arena in Montevideo, Uruguay.
New Jersey’s Luque is a violent man. The Brazilian — which sounds like a contradiction to the New Jersey part, but it’s accurate! — has won nine of his previous 10 fights, including a five-fight string of finishes leading up to this contest. He’s been deserving of a Top 10-ranked opponent for a while now, but “The Silent Assassin” will instead settle for a co-main event showcase. Perry is a man with a similar gift for violence, great natural instincts and physical talents that enable him to knock men senseless. Having won two of his last three against an elevated level of competition, it does seem like Perry is finally making the most of those gifts with a new level of composure and better work ethic.
Let’s take a closer look at the keys to victory for each man:
Vicente Luque
Record: 16-6-1
Key Wins: Bryan Barberena (UFC on ESPN 1), Niko Price (UFC Fight Night 119), Belal Muhammed (UFC 205), Chad Laprise (UFC Fight Night 129)
Key Losses: Leon Edwards (UFC Fight Night 107)
Keys to Victory: Rarely will one ever see a more aggressive counter striker than Luque. The Brazilian stalks opponents with true aggression, more than willing to rip off combinations or slam home a body kick. Yet much of the time, his best shots are landed on the counter, when he’s able to block a wide shot and crack the jaw with a check hook or tight straight.
It’s also worth mentioning that Luque’s front chokes are nasty.
Perry is a more dangerous fight for Luque than many would expect. For all of Luque’s violent offense and tight counter boxing, he does still get hit a fair amount. If there’s one thing one cannot afford to do against Perry, it’s to absorb too many punches.
As such, the main strategy here for Luque is to maintain his aggression and tight boxing without being drawn into a brawl. In addition, Luque would be wise to target the legs of Perry, who often stands like a boxer and can be susceptible to having his base chopped down.
Mike Perry
Record: 13-4
Key Wins: Alex Oliveira (UFC Fight Night 150), Paul Felder (UFC 226), Jake Ellenberger (UFC Fight Night 108), Danny Roberts (UFC 204)
Key Losses: Santiago Ponzinibbio (UFC on FOX 26), Donald Cerrone (UFC Fight Night 139), Alan Jouban (UFC on FOX 22), Max Griffin (UFC on FOX 28)
Keys to Victory: I don’t know if there’s anyone more comfortable in a brawl than Mike Perry. “Platinum’s” latest win was a career best, both in strategy and performance. Opposite a very dangerous fighter in Oliveira, Perry still managed to time his counter punches to intercept Oliveira’s forward lunges. After getting his head rocked a few times, Oliveira was suddenly a lot less willing to jump in, allowing Perry to dictate the pace.
See as Luque must avoid the brawl, it should make sense that Perry wants wildness.
As with the Oliveira fight, Perry is not faced with a man who is going to avoid exchanging with him. There will be battles in the pocket, where Perry tends to thrive. Unlike Oliveira, however, Luque is able to plant his feet and fire hard without an obvious charge forward.
To adjust, I’d like to see Perry throw more volume and work his jab more often. Barberena found success in throwing lots of strikes, getting Luque to cover up, then blasting him with a power shot. Perry should be able to do the same if he stays composed, but his power shots tend to end fights.
Bottom Line: This is a damn fun fight.
It’s also a risky one for Luque, who puts his considerable win streak on the line against an opponent who will not really raise him further up the rankings. At best, it’s an opportunity for Luque to score another exciting finish, which would give him a stronger argument for a much higher ranked opponent next. However, there is a real chance a big punch from Perry ends his streak, which would be unfortunate since he already should’ve received a bigger fight.
That’s not Perry’s problem, though. This is a “Platinum” opportunity for the knockout artist: another ranked foe who is also a favorable stylistic match up. If Perry can make it three of four high-level wins in recent attempts, it really will go a long way in proving that Perry can be more than an action fighter.
Remember that MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE round-by-round, blow-by-blow coverage of the entire UFC Fight Night 156 fight card this weekend right HERE, starting with the ESPN+“Prelims” that are scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. ET, then the main card portion that will stream on ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET.
To check out the latest and greatest UFC Fight Night 156: “Shevchenko vs. Carmouche 2” news and notes be sure to hit up our comprehensive event archive right here.
At UFC Fight Night 156, Vicente Luque and Mike Perry will go to war in the co-main event. Which man will earn the victory?