As far as fighter nicknames go, Vicente Luque’s moniker feels pretty accurate these days.
Despite earning three straight finishes and winning seven of his last eight, all by way of stoppage, “The Silent Assassin” continues to ply his trade quietly as he readies to make his first appearance of 2019 this weekend in Phoenix against perennial tough out Bryan Barberena.
A member of Team Blackzilians on Season 23 of The Ultimate Fighter, Luque debuted in the Octagon at age 23, dropping a unanimous decision to American Top Team representative Michael Graves on the show’s summer finale. Since then, the Brazilian welterweight has been taking out opponents with precision, the only hiccup being a decision loss to emerging contender Leon Edwards.