UFC 316: Vicente Luque eager to prove he's still war-ready against Kevin Holland

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UFC 316: Vicente Luque eager to prove he's still war-ready against Kevin Holland
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UFC 316: Vicente Luque media day interview
UFC 316 fighter Vicente Luque spoke to MMA Junkie and reporters at media day for his main card bout vs. Kevin Holland on Saturday.
MORRISTOWN, N.J. – If you think Vicente Luque is no longer capable of taking damage in fights, think again.
At UFC 316 on Saturday, Luque (23-10-1 MMA, 16-6 UFC) steps into the cage for the first time in 2025 to face Kevin Holland. The welterweight bout opens up the UFC 316 (ESPN+ pay-per-view) main card at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.
Holland (27-13 MMA, 14-10 UFC) believes that Luque's days as a hard-nosed fighter capable of walking through punishment are over. In 2022, Luque suffered a knockout loss to Geoff Neal, which led to the discovery of a brain hemorrhage while in the hospital. It was a serious concern, one that Luque took every precaution to ensure he could continue his career.
A year later, Luque returned to the cage, defeating former lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos. He was then submitted by Joaquin Buckley last March, but got back on track with a first-round, bonus-winning submission of Themba Gorimbo in December. Luque is welcome to challenge the idea that he can't take damage any longer.
"Keep an eye open on Saturday, you guys will see if I'm ready or not for war," Luque told reporters at UFC 316 media day. "I'm excited. It's a big fight and a challenging opponent. I like it. He's gonna take out the best out of me for sure."
Luque is on the verge of cementing his legacy in the record books. The UFC welterweight leader for total finishes is 14, a record held by Matt Brown. Luque currently sits in second place and will have the opportunity to tie that record Saturday. With a submission finish, he would break out of a three-way second-place tie to be at the same number as Gunnar Nelson at seven.
It's something Luque doesn't necessarily chase when the cage door closes, but he admits it would be nice to have his name atop everyone else in the division's history.
"That would be awesome," Luque said. "I'm definitely chasing that record. ... I don't chase the finishes, but they just happen. That's my style. That's what I do. I go in there and I fight with all I have, and usually, that's gonna end up in a finish, because I find a submission or a knockout shot. It's gonna come eventually, and if I can get that record, that would be amazing."
Holland has had a busy year so far. In January, he was submitted by Reinier de Ridder and then won a unanimous decision over Gunnar Nelson in March. Always one to express himself vocally, Holland, affectionately nicknamed "Big Mouth" by UFC CEO Dana White, is known for talking before, during, and after his fights. Luque knows he won't have any verbal replies to offer, but welcomes whatever comes from his opponent inside the cage.
"No, I definitely don't have trash talk, but I have two fists that hit really hard, and that's enough for me," Luque said. "I can talk with my hands. I think it's just fun, you know? I don't think that Holland is really that kind of guy that trash talks as disrespecting you. I think he's more about having fun in there. He's just doing his thing and whatever he does, I'm still going to respond in my way. I'm out there to have a great fight and to beat him. At the end of the day, I want to knock him out and get a big win."