By The Numbers: Michael Chiesa vs. Vicente Luque

Brian KnappAug 05, 2021


Common pursuits within the Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight division have brought Michael Chiesa and Vicente Luque together at UFC 265, where they will collide in a featured three-round affair this Saturday at the Toyota Center in Houston.

Chiesa has rattled off four straight victories since he set up shop in the 170-pound weight class a little less than three years ago. “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 15 winner last competed in the UFC on ESPN 20 main event on Jan. 20, when he laid claim to a unanimous decision over Elevation Fight Team’s Neil Magny. Luque, meanwhile, finds himself on a three-fight winning streak. He last fought at UFC 260, where he submitted former welterweight champion Tyron Woodley with a first-round brabo choke on March 27.

As Chiesa and Luque pore over the remaining details associated with their forthcoming confrontation, a look at some of the numbers that have accompanied them to this point:

33: Years of age for Chiesa, who was born in Aurora, Colorado on Dec. 7, 1987.

11: Chiesa wins by submission, accounting for 61% of his career total (18). His methods of choice: eight rear-naked chokes, one triangle choke, one brabo choke and one kimura. Chiesa owns seven other wins by decision.

5: Consecutive first-round finishes from Chiesa between March 26, 2011 and June 1, 2012. The run started with a 96-second brabo choke submission of Darcy James at Battlefield Fight League 7 and concluded with his throttling Al Iaquinta unconscious with a rear-naked choke 2:47 into “The Ultimate Fighter 15” finale co-main event.

19: Takedowns landed by Chiesa during his current four-fight winning streak against Magny, Rafael dos Anjos, Diego Sanchez and Carlos Condit. He has netted those completions on just 25 attempts.

105: Combined victories between the four men—Anthony Pettis, Kevin Lee, Joe Lauzon and Jorge Masvidal—who have defeated Chiesa. The own a cumulative record of 105-48 (.686).

29: Years of age for Luque, who was born on Nov. 27, 1991 in Westwood, New Jersey.

11: Luque victories by knockout or technical knockout, accounting for 55% of his career total (20). His list of UFC victims: Randy Brown, Niko Price, Derrick Krantz, Bryan Barberena, Jalin Turner, Chad Laprise, Belal Muhammad and Hector Urbina. Luque owns seven other wins by submission and two more by decision.

5.74: Strikes landed per minute of UFC competition by Luque, placing him third in the promotion’s all-time list for welterweights. Only Daniel Rodriguez (8.29) and Duane Ludwig (6.74) have connected at a higher rate at 170 pounds.

1: Stalemate on the Luque ledger. He fought to a three-round draw with Rodrigo Medeiros at Shooto Brazil 18 on Sept. 17, 2010. Luque was 18 years old at the time.

.740: Cumulative winning percentage between the seven men—Stephen Thompson, Leon Edwards, Michael Graves, Carlos Alexandre Pereira, Alfredo Souza, Marcos Antonio Santana and Felipe Portela—who have beaten Luque. They sport a combined record of 128-40-5.