Luke Rockhold seems to have a finger in every pie in the Middleweight Division.
The AKA staple mate makes his first appearance to talk about his beefs with Michael Bisping, Vitor Belfort, Wanderlei Silva, and a possible fight against his most polite challenger, Lyoto Machida. Luke shares his thoughts on Michael Bisping’s return to form post eye surgery, and why he thinks Vitor Belfort will not have the same success when he returns against Chris Weidman at UFC 181. The San Jose surfer also weighs in on training partner Daniel Cormier’s big fight against Jon Jones, the media brawl, the “hot mic” incident on ESPN, and how he’s helping DC prepare to defeat “Bones” and become the new Light Heavyweight Champion of the world. Rockhold also talks about his own chances in the Light Heavyweight Division, his thoughts on Jon Jones, a potential fight between the two, and of course surfing down under in Australia.
Interview highlights below
On the status of his broken toe
“Toe healed, I’m back on the program. I’m working out a couple of the kinks, but I feel good man. I’ve been hard sparring for a few weeks now and I’m gonna get back at this next week and hopefully find something, get something going.”
On timing being perfect for Luke to return to training in time to help Cormier prepare for Jones
“Yeah you know, that’s why I’m hoping to get a fight ’cause I’m gonna have to pretty much put in a training camp myself helping him. You know, I’m pretty the much the most like Jon Jones he’s gonna find. So we’re gonna be putting some hard rounds in together like we always do, and I’m not gonna take it easy on him that’s for sure.”
What Luke has been doing to help Mimic Jon Jones’ style and help DC prepare for Jones’ reach
“Well, you know pretty much when we’re walking around the gym I look to try and poke him in the eyes whenever I can. Keep him on his toes, you know.”
Thoughts on the scuffle Jones and DC had at press conference and why Cormier gets under Jones’ skin so easily
“Everyone wants to pick a guy that can beat the champ. You know when a guy’s (been) on top for so long, everyone’s trying to find who’s gonna be the guy to beat him, and you know and a lot of people have thought Daniel for a long time, and for good reason. He’s a great fighter, he’s got the skills to beat Jon Jones, and he trains at a pretty good camp too. “
“As for the fight, that’s DC. He’s a drama queen, so I expect that to happen. He’s gotten pretty dam touchy at a lot of his weigh ins. You see him when he got Pat Cummins he pushed Pat Cummins, that other time too, probably more. He likes the attention and he knows how to sell a fight, so I think that was a good move I guess.”
Thoughts on the opinion that people have calling the scuffle unprofessional
“Yeah I’m all for it. I mean we’re, fighting this is our job, this is what people pay to see and shit talk and all that commotion, you know before fights, that just sells it even harder, you know what I mean. It’s like, you get slapped on the wrist, take your whatever, fine that’s gonna be, you know twenty, thirty thousand, who cares. Your gonna make hundreds of thousands of more dollars for that fight. That’s gonna build that pay per view, you sell that much more.”
Thoughts on Jone’s “I’m gonna kill you” comments to Cormier caught during the off air recording before ESPN
“Yeah that was pretty heavy. I actually didn’t know about that till about an hour ago. We were in the gym and DC’s like ‘did you see this, did you see the video?’, and I was like of course I’ve seen the video, and he goes ‘no, this one’ and he showed me. And I was like ‘oh my god’. He took that one a little too far. I mean, when you’re mic’d up in a room you don’t say things (that) you don’t want, even if it’s like off air c’mon, c’mon. The guys should’ve known better than that. DC should know better than that, you know what I mean?”
On fighting Wanderlei Silva
“He did an interview a while back and I was just laughing at it. ‘Cause, I mean the guy, he literally ran out the back door from the test, and then you know. He ran out the door, he’s now testing himself in Brazil, says he’s clean, and wants to fight me in Brazil. I was like ‘huh? What? Does any of that makes sense?’. I’m like nah.”
“I respect Wanderlei as a fighter, but man the sport needs to be cleaned up, and I’d definitely be into a fight with him in the states. I’m not going back to Brazil, there’s just too many shady things going down over there.”
On Vitor Belfort being cleared by the commission and given the Chris Weidman fight
“The commission can do what they want. You know financially it’s a big sell. If the UFC’s gonna make that happen, then I don’t know. Seems like the rules are changing.”
“I don’t get it. I don’t get how you get caught for steroids and get the title shot, getting a license and all that. Whatever, I don’t know. He looks tiny now have you seen him?”
On Vitor calling him a “Playboy” and that Luke’s still in shock from the kick to the head
“There’s nothing I want more than to fight Vitor Belfort. You know Vitor can talk all he wants, I mean he’s not even on this planet. The guy just, nothing makes sense that comes out of his mouth, and his whole life is a lie. I have fun, yeah. People wanna call me a ‘Playboy’, I like to enjoy myself. I’m young, I’m single, travelling the world and having a good time, but you know I handle business when it’s time. Yeah, I wanna fight Vitor, more than anything.”
Luke’s opinion on if we will see a different Vitor Belfort in the octagon against Weidman
“There’s no doubt. He’s gonna be a lot different fighter, you know. Who knows what he’s gonna be like, but I just don’t think he’s gonna have much for Weidman. He looks old and he looks like he’s got a chicken neck now, so I don’t know.”
“He looks tiny! I don’t know how he’s gonna keep the weight on, ’cause he was on UFC on Fox, man the guy looked tiny. He literally looked like a small welterweight.”
Thoughts on a dream scenario where Luke would get a chance to rematch Vitor for the title if, Vitor wins against Weidman
“That’s a perfect world right there. It would be awesome and we would really sell the fight, ’cause there’s a couple of people I can shit about. I don’t really like to talk shit about a lot of people, but there’s a few people. There’s Bisping and Vitor are definitely my targets, and I would sell the shit out of that fight, and then I would beat the shit out of them too.”
Thought’s on Bisping’s comments about being tired of Rockhold calling him out and thoughts on what Bisping looked like in his last fight.
“Nah, he didn’t look that good. You know I don’t really think he’s looked that great in any of his fights. I mean he’s got good footwork, he’s got a few things that work for him, he’s won some decent fights, but I mean the guy is out of his mind. Like he’s, I think his losing it a little bit, I don’t know. He’s saying that I’m looking for attention and all these things. All I’ve ever done, ALL I’ve ever done is respond to Michael Bisping’s shit talk. Everything that steams from him originally claiming that he was the unofficial Stirkeforce champion, talking about a sparring session we had. There’s just laughable things man. The guys a piece of work.”
“I’m almost starting to feel bad for him. He’s like got his son defending now too, it’s funny stuff. You know it’s just, yeah. I’m pretty much done with him. I don’t think his gonna get past Cung Le either.”
On Lyoto Machida suggesting a match up and Luke’s thoughts on it
“Lyoto’s an amazing fighter and I have a lot of respect for him too. You know that’s an interesting matchup and I suggested it to Joe and the guys and I’d definitely be open to that fight. You know, potentially that would be fine, but personally I think I’d rather fight the winner of Jacare/Mousasi. They’re a little more intriguing of a match up. They’re more of a solidify as a number one contender. Lyoto had a great fight with Weidman so I mean, going out there and putting a stamp on that fight, and you know, beating Lyoto and hopefully finishing him like Weidman couldn’t. That’d be a pretty big statement too. So you know, I’m definitely open to the fights. You know whatever the UFC wants to do.”
On what would happen if he fought Jacare again
“I think I finish Jacare. I think he’s tough, but really I think he’s just got a lot more confidence in his stand up, and in his right hand, the power he has. I haven’t really seen him make huge gains technically. I was young and nervous and there were a lot of things going into the fight I had with him. I just didn’t sit on my punches, I mean I had a really good fight but I’ve got a lot better and I think I can finish him the next time around, no doubt.”
Chances on ever being in Light heavyweight
“You know I’d definitely look into it. My goals are all set right here at 185 until I accomplish those I’m not going anywhere. But I definitely can fight, and I know I can compete with the big guys. Maybe once DC exits his way out of the division, I’ll move in. You know, after my boy gets out.”
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