5 potential opponents for Vicente Luque after UFC Vegas 51 loss

Is Jorge Masvidal the next opponent for Vecente Luque?

Things didn't go as expected for the betting favorite, Vicente Luque, as he tried to make it two-up on Belal Muhammad. During the fight, it became apparent that Muhammad is a much more skilled fighter than he was during their short meeting in 2016. After five rounds, it was 'Remember The Name' having his hand raised this time around.

Despite this loss, 'The Silent Assassin' put on a great performance. His crisp striking and submission threats were taken very seriously and forced Muhammad to take a very calculated approach to secure his victory. Although it wasn't the outcome he wanted, the 30-year-old still has a lot of fight and career left in him.

Moving forward, Luque will need another fight or two to get him back into the title picture that he was just on the cusp of prior to this defeat. Although welterweight is one of the toughest divisions to make a statement in, 'The Silent Assassin' isn't far from making a claim that he irrefutably deserves a title shot. Here are 5 potential opponents for Vicente Luque.

#5. Vicente Luque vs. Sean Brady

This matchup seems inevitable, so it might as well be booked next. Sean Brady and Vicente Luque are two of the most underrated fighters in the UFC, let alone the welterweight division. Sporting a flawless 15-0 record, Brady is most recently coming off a decision victory over Michael Chiesa.

Sean Brady is now 1️⃣5️⃣-0️⃣!

@SeanBradyMMA got the decision win over Michael Chiesa yesterday to keep his winning streak running. Who's next?!

📺📱 Watch all the action from #UFCVegas43 back on @UFCFightPass https://t.co/hgamYb3bOK

Only one year older, at 30, 'The Silent Assassin' may not have as pretty a record, but he's got the experience against top fighters which gives this matchup the feel of a "seasoned veteran taking on the next wave of talent". Both fighters in this equation have a spot at the top of the division and have the tools to become the champion.

Furthermore, they both have a strong and technical approach. Brady takes more of the wrestling approach that we saw Belal Muhammad utilize to score his recent victory over Luque, but 'The Silent Assassin' has submission threats and recently proved that he can withstand a 5-round battle.

The Brazilian fighter should still fight a top-10 athlete in his next bout and it's about time that the undefeated Brady received a main event slot. Should this be the next fight for these welterweights, it'll be quite the chess match to determine who's ready to move further up the 170lb division's ladder.