Vicente Luque talks renewed momentum at middleweight, pitfalls of weight cutting in the UFC and beyond

Vicente Luque has opened up about the problems of weight-cutting in professional MMA competition in the UFC and beyond. He also harked back to his having to cut weight during his teenage years. 

The welterweight (170-pound) staple, who recently moved up to the middleweight (185-pound) division, addressed the same and more ahead of his imminent return to the Octagon. 

Presently, Luque is booked to fight Tresean Gore in a middleweight showdown at UFC 330 in Philadelphia on August 15. 

UFC 330 fighter Vicente Luque talks about his shift to middleweight, win over Kelvin Gastelum

Vicente Luque had notably defeated fellow KO artist Thiago Santos early in his MMA career outside the UFC. That was Luque's lone middleweight match for years, as he later made a name for himself as a welterweight contender in the UFC. Santos also made a mark in the UFC, mainly competing at middleweight and light heavyweight there; even famously facing Jon Jones for the UFC light heavyweight belt in a razor-thin defeat. 

On the other hand, Luque suffered a pair of lackluster defeats at welterweight, which precipitated his move to middleweight. His maiden 185-pound appearance (second overall in his MMA career) came in his latest fight against fellow ex-welterweight Kelvin Gastelum in April. 

Luque spectacularly submitted Gastelum with an anaconda choke, announcing his arrival as a force to be reckoned with at middleweight. 

Se acaboooooó‼️ Vicente Luque somete en su debut en peso medio 🚨#UFC327 | Ver en vivo por @PPlusDeportes pic.twitter.com/qjd7vzITOG

— UFC Español (@UFCEspanol) April 11, 2026

During an interview with Nolan King for MMA Junkie heading into UFC 330, Vicente Luque shed light on his move up in weight. Luque stated: 

"My last couple of years in the welterweight division, I was trying to kind of reinvent myself. But at the same time, it took me a while to realize I was going against my body, my development, as just a man at 34 years old. I'm going to be 35 this year." 

For those unaware of the significance of weight cuts in combat sports, it's a practice whereby an athlete sheds body weight (via dietary changes, increased workouts, etc.) in the weeks/days leading up to a fight, even eliminating water weight close to the weigh-ins to make a certain weight limit.

The athlete then rehydrates and gains some of the weight. This is mainly done to achieve a size (weight) advantage over the opponent competing in the same weight class. Nevertheless, many experts warn that weight cutting adversely affects a fighter's health, owing to undernutrition, dehydration, competing immediately after cutting weight, and other reasons. 

Speaking of Luque, he narrated his own experience and said, "I became heavier, you know, I have more muscle mass. And that was hard for me. That was taking out of my training -- all that weight cut." 

The Brazilian-American combatant indicated that he finally realized a move up in weight was the need of the hour. Moreover, Luque recalled his entry into the UFC middleweight division being the best way he could start at 185 pounds, securing a stoppage win over a legend in Kelvin Gastelum. 

Vicente Luque warns of weight cuts harming health, cites weight-cutting culture difference between Brazil and U.S.A.

Vicente Luque explained that there's a significant difference between Brazil and the United States of America in regard to weight cutting in sports competition. The MMA stalwart cited how systematic weight-cutting practices are taught to the youth in the U.S. as part of the country's robust amateur wrestling system.

Meanwhile, he affirmed that Brazil has lacked that technical weight-cutting prowess imbibed in athletes since one's youth. Luque himself started training at 15, recounting that he cut weight when he was a growing person (15-17 years of age) and beyond, without adequate knowledge nonetheless, which is harmful for the body. 

Noting that he extensively competed in Brazil early on, Luque also warned, "It (weight cutting) is never going to be a 100 percent good for your body. But do it at the best possible for your body." 

The veteran fighter then emphasized an important realization that dawned upon him, which was when he questioned himself whether his job was to make weight or win fights. He, as such, opted to move to the higher weight class and ensure his training is centered around preparations for the fight rather than for the grueling weight cut. 

Watch Vicente Luque discuss the adverse effects of weight cutting and more below (*comments at the 1:49-minute mark of the video):