Vicente Luque wasn’t that concerned about who’d be standing in front of him at UFC Fight Night 129. But once he found out, it was certainly a pleasant surprise.

“First of all, I wanted to fight in Chile – that was my focus,” Luque told MMAjunkie ahead of Saturday’s event. “The opponent wasn’t that important for me. (But) when they mentioned Chad Laprise, I was quite happy, because he’s coming off three wins, all knockout. … He also likes to move forward. He’s a striker, and I think it goes very well with my game.

“I’m also a striker. I also look to finish fights. I’m aware of his skills, and he’s certainly very good. But I also know I have every condition to beat him, and his game is the type that interests me a lot.”

Luque (12-6-1 MMA, 5-2 UFC) and fellow welterweight Laprise (13-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) are set to open the FS1-televised main card of Saturday’s event at Movistar Arena in Santiago. It follows FS2-televised preliminary bouts and early prelims on UFC Fight Pass.

Luque’s determination to fight in Chile makes more sense when you become familiar with his multicultural background. While Luque was born on U.S. soil and lived in the Brazilian capital of Brasilia for most his life, his father is actually Chilean.

Luque’s mom moved to Chile when she was still 8 year olds, with her ever-travelling diplomat mother, and lived there for about 10 years. Luque’s parents met and got married in Chile. When his grandma relocated to the U.S., the family went with her.

Luque was born in New Jersey but came with his mom to Brazil at 6 after his parents got divorced. And that explains why you’ll see him seamlessly transitioning between languages in his interviews.

“I grew up speaking Spanish to my dad, English with my mom – because we didn’t want me to lose that – and, in Brazil, speaking Portuguese,” Luque explained.

Being able to communicate in multiple languages can often make for an added workload in fight promotion – just look at a quick example in Santiago Ponzinibbio, who actually recorded three different Instagram videos when he apologized for pulling out of Saturday’s headliner. But Luque, who gained a crash course in media exposure during his “The Ultimate Fighter 21” stint, embraces it.

“Being able to speak three languages ends up helping you connect with a much larger audience, especially because the fans want to hear what you have to say,” Luque said. “Sometimes a translator, they can’t really convey all the emotion a fighter is going through. So the fact that I speak the language and can connect the audience is very important. It’s certainly helped me out a lot.”

Luque’s dealings with local media and fans, he explains, has been a little different than in markets where MMA is more solidified, like Brazil and the U.S. But, despite the novelty feel there still is to it, Luque is optimistic about the UFC’s first venture into Chile.

“We get to arrive and already make a good impression in regard to MMA,” Luque said. “Instead of it being an event that sometimes doesn’t follow the rules and all. So that’s good. And I think the audience here is excited about getting to know the sport.

“They have shown a lot of interest, especially because there’s a Chilean fighter in Diego Rivas. They made that connection, so the audience is very interested. It’s going to be something new for them, but I think they’ll receive it very well.”

Luque also seems optimistic about his task inside the cage. While he’s careful not to overlook his opponent, Luque was able to put on solid preparation. Although he was in Florida earlier this year, he chose to do the entire camp in Brasilia – where he concentrated on everything, from his psychologist to his physical therapy.

Now, feeling 100 percent prepared for the clash with Laprise, Luque believes that was the best decision. He gets to come into it on a positive note, too, after bouncing back from a loss to Leon Edwards with a statement submission win over then-undefeated Niko Price.

Losses, of course, are never nice. And the one to Edwards’ loss came at a tough time, too, when the 26-year-old prospect had just built a solid, all-finish four-fight streak. But, looking back, Luque believes it was for the best as it forced him to deal with issues in his preparation that could otherwise have gone unchecked.

Now, coming off a win, Luque doesn’t think there’s necessarily less pressure involved – but there’s certainly more confidence.

“I’ve been working to evolve and further develop my game – it’s been working, and the proof was my fight in Sao Paulo with Niko Price,” Luque said. “This adds up and builds confidence. You feel like the work is paying off.

“I think it’s more in the knowing that you’re in the right path, that all you have to do is follow it, trust in it, and on fight night you just have to do the work you’ve been doing every day at the gym for months.”

Considering the five stoppage wins among Luque’s six most recent outings, making a statement over Laprise (and his own three-finish streak) could make a solid statement when it comes to the Brazilian’s standing in the UFC’s busy 170-pound division. And, while Luque is not the type to come up with call-outs or demand attention, he does have his ambitions when it comes to this one.

“My goal is to make it to the top 15,” Luque said. “That’s my goal for now, (because) my final goal is to be champion. For that to happen, I need to be in the top 15 and climb it step by step. I think a win on Saturday would certainly put me very close and that’s what I’m looking for. I want to fight someone who’s in the top 15 or someone who’s close, too, because that win would put me that much closer.”

For more on UFC Fight Night 129, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.