"It's about the challenge" - UFC welterweight Michael Chiesa reveals his motivation to pursue a fight with Kamaru Usman

UFC welterweight contender Michael Chiesa is set to face off against the ever-dangerous Vicente Luque this weekend, but 'Maverick' already has his sights set on 170-pound champion Kamaru Usman.

In a recent exclusive interview with Sportskeeda MMA's Andrew Whitelaw, Michael Chiesa discussed what drives him to continue to compete against some of the best fighters in the world such as Vicente Luque and Kamaru Usman.

"From day one. From the time I won The Ultimate Fighter, my first press conference I ever did after I won TUF, that's what I said: 'I want to fight the best guys.' There's a million other things I could do in life to make as much, if not more, money than what I'm doing now," said Michael Chiesa. "I have such a competitive fire in me and I want to test myself against the best guys... When I look at fighting guys like Kamaru Usman, it's about the challenge. Just to say I did it. And I think that's kinda what drives me."

Catch our exclusive interview with Michael Chiesa ahead of UFC 265 below:

UFC 265: Michael Chiesa vs. Vicente Luque

Before Michael Chiesa can compete against Kamaru Usman, he must first overcome Vicente Luque, an opponent that Chiesa has dubbed "his most dangerous" to date.

The two welterweights will clash on the main card of UFC 265, which takes place at Houston, Texas, this coming weekend. When discussing his upcoming opponent, 'Maverick' had the following to say:

"He's known to be a finisher. That's what makes him so dangerous. It's not that he's just good at finishing one way, he's not a one trick pony. He can knock you out, he can submit you, he's got a lot of power... That type of threat from a fighter heightens my senses and I think it will make me perform better."

Michael Chiesa will truly have to pull out all the stops when he faces Luque. The Brazilian finisher has won nine of his last 10 fights with both knockouts and submissions littering his resume.

However, to the victor goes the spoils. A win for either man would force them right into title contention, with a number one contender shot against Gilbert Burns or Leon Edwards the most likely outcome.